Last Thursday, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced the six projects selected to receive grant money to pursue carbon capture and reuse from industrial sources. The DOE had $106 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act along with $156 million in private funding to split between its chosen projects. The projects, now in Phase 2 of design work, are required to construct a pilot-scale facility to demonstrate the viability of their methods.
Our old friend Calera was among the recipients of this grant, receiving nearly $20 million of the DOE money. The basic outline of Calera’s plan is straightforward: take the carbon dioxide (CO2) rich flue gas and bubble it through seawater rich in magnesium hydroxide [Mg(OH)2] to form carbonates. The process mimics coral reefs and is claimed to already working at a small northern California plant where Calera says it captures thirty thousand tons of CO2 every year. Despite early criticism and on-going skepticism, Calera and one of its chief backers, Vinod Khosla, are excited about the company’s prospects. In regards to Calera’s process, Khosla said that it’s the “only viable solution to carbon sequestration.”
Calera, however, will be facing competition in the field of “carbon capture and reuse” from some of the other grant winners. Other winners are pursuing biofuel and thermoplastic polymers for their pilot facilities. US Energy Secretary Steven Chu said, “These innovative projects convert carbon pollution from a climate threat to an economic resource. This is part of our broad commitment to unleash the American innovation machine and build the thriving, clean energy economy of the future.” Other companies receiving grants are Alcoa Inc., Novomer Inc., Touchstone Research Laboratory Ltd., Phycal LLC, and Skyonic Corporation.