Carbfix

Carbfix
IndustryCarbon sequestration
Founded2007
FoundersReykjavík Energy, the University of Iceland, CNRS, and the Earth Institute at Columbia University
Headquarters
Reykjavík
,
Iceland
Websitehttps://www.carbfix.com/

Carbfix is an Icelandic company that has developed an approach to permanently store CO2 by dissolving it in water and injecting it into basaltic rocks. Once in the subsurface, the injected CO2 reacts with the host rock forming stable carbonate minerals, thus providing permanent storage of the injected CO2[1]

Approximately 200 tons of CO2 were injected into subsurface basalts in a first-of-a-kind pilot injection in SW-Iceland in 2012. Research results published in 2016 showed that 95% of the injected CO2 was solidified into calcite within 2 years, using 25 tons of water per ton of CO2.[2][3][4] Since 2014, this technology has been applied to the emissions of the Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant. H2S and CO2 are co-captured from the emission stream of the power station and permanently and safely stored via in-situ carbon mineralization at the Húsmúli reinjection site.[5] The process captures approximately one-third of the CO2 emissions (12,000 tCO2/y) and 60% of the H2S emissions (6,000 tH2S/y) from the power plant. The Silverstone project aims to deploy full-scale CO2 capture, injection, and mineral storage at the Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant from 2025 onwards.[6]

Carbfix is currently operating four injection sites in Iceland in relation to the Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant: the Nesjavellir Geothermal Power Plant, The Orca direct air capture plant near Hellisheiði and within the CO2 Seastone project in Helguvík (see chapter “Current status”).

  1. ^ Snæbjörnsdóttir, Sandra Ó.; Sigfússon, Bergur; Marieni, Chiara; Goldberg, David; Gislason, Sigurður R.; Oelkers, Eric H. (2020-01-20). "Carbon dioxide storage through mineral carbonation". Nature Reviews Earth & Environment. 1 (2): 90–102. doi:10.1038/s43017-019-0011-8. ISSN 2662-138X.
  2. ^ Matter, Juerg M.; Stute, Martin; Snæbjörnsdottir, Sandra Ó.; Oelkers, Eric H.; Gislason, Sigurdur R.; Aradottir, Edda S.; Sigfusson, Bergur; Gunnarsson, Ingvi; Sigurdardottir, Holmfridur; Gunnlaugsson, Einar; Axelsson, Gudni; Alfredsson, Helgi A.; Wolff-Boenisch, Domenik; Mesfin, Kiflom; Taya, Diana Fernandez de la Reguera (2016-06-10). "Rapid carbon mineralization for permanent disposal of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions". Science. 352 (6291): 1312–1314. doi:10.1126/science.aad8132. ISSN 0036-8075.
  3. ^ Toor, Amar (2016-06-10). "Scientists turn carbon dioxide into stone to combat global warming". The Verge. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
  4. ^ Le Page, Michael (2016-06-09). "CO2 injected deep underground turns to rock – and stays there". New Scientist. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
  5. ^ Sigfússon, Bergur; Arnarson, Magnús Þór; Snæbjörnsdóttir, Sandra Ósk; Karlsdóttir, Marta Rós; Aradóttir, Edda Sif; Gunnarsson, Ingvi (July 2018). "Reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide at Hellisheidi power plant in 2014-2017 and the role of CarbFix in achieving the 2040 Iceland climate goals". Energy Procedia. 146: 135–145. doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2018.07.018 – via Science Direct.
  6. ^ "Project Silverstone". www.carbfix.com. Retrieved 2024-05-23.