Carbon Capture Partnership: ABB and Imperial College’s 10-Year Vision

Carbon Capture Partnership: ABB and Imperial College’s 10-Year Vision

(IN BRIEF) ABB and Imperial College London have extended their partnership for a decade to operate a unique carbon capture pilot plant. Located at Imperial College, this plant provides hands-on training to thousands of students, showcasing ABB’s advanced technology solutions. The collaboration aims to prepare students for future industrial processes by demonstrating how technology can optimize plant performance and enhance safety. The plant uses ABB’s cutting-edge technology, including the Ability™ System 800xA® and advanced measurement devices. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) are crucial for decarbonizing industries, and ABB is working to reduce the costs and facilitate the integration of CCS into existing and new operations. This partnership aligns with the UK government’s Powering Up Britain policy, which focuses on cleaner and more affordable energy sources.

(PRESS RELEASE) ZURICH, 25-Oct-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — ABB (SWX: ABBN), a Swedish–Swiss multinational company leader in robotics, power, heavy electrical equipment, and automation, and Imperial College London have solidified their collaboration through a 10-year contract extension, focusing on the development of a dedicated carbon capture pilot plant. This pioneering plant, situated at Imperial College, is the sole facility of its kind within an academic institution worldwide.

Since its inception in 2012, the plant has provided hands-on training to over 4,500 students, offering them invaluable experience with ABB’s cutting-edge technology solutions. Imperial College London, renowned for its excellence in science and engineering and ranking among the world’s top ten universities¹, serves as the ideal platform for fostering the skills and expertise necessary for future engineers and scientists.

“Extending the partnership with Imperial College allows us to offer students practical training to prepare them for a career in industry,” said Simon Wynne, Head of Energy Industries, ABB UK & Ireland. “A report by EngineeringUK² says that for the UK to meet emissions targets by 2050, there needs to be a workforce, with the right STEM backgrounds, ready to respond to the energy transition challenge.”

The extended partnership aims to equip current students with the knowledge required to manage future industrial processes efficiently. By showcasing how the latest technology can optimize plant performance and enhance safety in real-world scenarios, ABB and Imperial College are preparing the workforce of tomorrow. The collaboration grants the university access to some of the most advanced control and instrumentation technology available from any manufacturer.

The multi-floor plant utilizes ABB’s Ability™ System 800xA® for distributed process control and boasts over 250 instruments, measuring parameters such as temperature, pressure, carbon dioxide levels, and flow. System 800xA seamlessly controls and coordinates all facets of the plant’s processes, with real-time visualization available in the ABB Control Room, where students can actively monitor and intervene when necessary.

ABB’s innovative Ability™ Verification for measurement devices and the new Ability™ SmartMaster verification and condition monitoring platform are also integrated, equipping students with skills in predictive maintenance and instrument optimization.

“When we started the partnership with ABB, the aim was to encourage more people to go into and stay in chemical engineering,” said Dr Colin Hale, Senior Teaching Fellow at Imperial College London. “One of the ways to do this was to set up this carbon capture plant so we could enthuse students to follow through on the environmental topics they have learnt previously. ABB shares this collective vision.”

“During my time in the carbon capture pilot plant, I have actively participated in the operation of the process, gaining a deeper understanding of the development and application of the technology,” said Yiheng Shao, fourth year undergraduate student at Imperial College London. “This experience has also bolstered my confidence in the role of carbon capture in achieving net-zero goals.”

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) play a pivotal role in decarbonizing industry and achieving net-zero emissions. A 2022 report by S&P Global³ noted a 44 percent increase in the number of CCS facilities worldwide compared to the previous year⁴, as indicated by the Global CCS Institute.

ABB, recognizing the potential of CCS, is actively working to lower the capital and operational investment costs and streamline the integration of CCS into existing and new operations. In March 2023, ABB partnered with London-based Pace CCS, leveraging digital twin technology to create virtual replicas of real processes for testing scenarios and proof of concept in the capture, transportation, and storage of industrial carbon dioxide emissions.

The UK Government’s Powering Up Britain policy, which includes substantial funding to spur investment in CCS and create cleaner, more affordable energy sources, further underscores the importance of such initiatives.

ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on more than 140 years of excellence, ABB’s ~105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation. www.abb.com

¹ https://www.topuniversities.com/universities/imperial-college-london

² https://www.engineeringuk.com/news-views/new-analysis-highlights-lack-of-understanding-around-green-stem-jobs/

³ https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en/ci/research-analysis/carbon-capture-ccus-ma-market-2022-oil-and-gas-companies.html 

⁴ https://status22.globalccsinstitute.com/2022-status-report/global-status-of-ccs/

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SOURCE: ABB