CPC supports Taiwan’s 2050 Net Zero Emission Roadmap and actively promotes carbon negative technologies such as carbon capture and utilization (CCU) and carbon capture and storage (CCS). Through these technologies, the CO2 released from production activities can be captured and stored or even produced into synthetic chemicals, which opens up opportunities for a new industry chain and economic models.
Carbon storage
With respect to carbon storage technology, CPC has accumulated extensive expertise and experience in onshore
as well as subsea excavation and drilling in Taiwan. The organization has been working with CCS Alliance, an
organization spearheaded by the Bureau of Energy of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, since 2010 to develop new technologies for storing carbon. A trial run for the technology was conducted at Yongheshan Power Plant in 2011 to validate the feasibility of the carbon storage technology and to provide useful reference for future R&D efforts. CPC remains committed to mastering the carbon storage technology by integrating domestic resources and drawing experiences from around the world.
Carbon storage technology not only helps businesses lower carbon emission, but also opens up new revenue opportunities. Out of support for national policies, CPC recently reactivated its carbon storage project, which is a vital part of carbon negative technologies, at Tiezhenshan, Tongxiao Township in Miaoli County. The Tiezhenshan Carbon Capture Collaborative Trial Project passed environmental assessment in 2023, and once the ground treatment works are complete, Miaoli Tiezhenshan will have the capacity to store 300,000 MT of CO2 over 3 years. Actual carbon storage will be monitored persistently for the period from 2028 to 2030. CPC has invested approximately NT$162 million into developing the technology over the last 5 years, and expects to invest another NT$3.7 billion before 2030.
Carbon capture and utilization
As a support to Taiwan’s net zero goals, CPC assembled a Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) Team in 2021 to assist the Company with the implementation of carbon reduction policies at emission -intensive plant sites. CPC turns the CO2 it captures into chemical products such as dimethyl carbonate, methane, and methanol, and the additional supply of methanol not only lessens Taiwan’s dependency on imports but may even meet the increasing methanol demand in North east Asia and be turned into chemical products of longer carbon cycle for carbon reduction benefits.
In order to make a viable commercial model out of carbon cycling, CPC has been exploring ways by which CO2 can be captured and utilized, and installed trial facilities for “CO2 Capture and Methanol Conversion” within oil refineries to validate the technology. The trial facilities for “CO2 Capture and Methanol Conversion” comprise two main systems: “CO2 Capture” and “Conversion and Utilization,” which are based on an innovative technology that involves low energy consumption. The technology adopts the chemical absorption method, using liquid amine to capture CO2 from the exhaust gas generated from production activities. By applying the right catalyst and a highly efficient process, CO2 is turned into methanol, which has a lower carbon footprint and can be made into chemical materials such as ethylene, propane, and ethyl.
The construction began in 2022 and was completed in December 2023. Outcomes of the trial run showed CO2 capture and methanol production having met expectations, and that concentration of captured CO2 exceeded 99%. Currently, CPC is able to capture 6 MT of CO2 from exhaust and convert them into 1 MT of methanol a year. In the future, CPC will continue to engage in technology validation, catalyst development, and production optimization while aiming to maximize carbon negative benefits with more scalable and more efficient solutions.
With the completion and full production of the trial facilities, CPC hopes to replace oil with CO2 as an alternative source of raw material, and in doing so contribute to the supply of low-carbon plastics for the domestic petrochemical industry in order to meet the low-carbon requirements and carbon taxing in USA and the EU. Construction of this trial facility not only conveys CPC’s resolve to reducing carbon to the general public, but also helps accumulate practical experience on the technology, which may prove beneficial to the research and development of CO2 hydrogenation catalysts while allowing technical support to other production procedures within the company. CPC has made plans to construct facilities capable of capturing more than one million metric tons of CO2 each year as a show of initiative and resolve to reducing carbon.
Education, awareness, and communication
CPC spares no resources in promoting knowledge and communication. The organization also takes the initiative to organize awareness campaigns, and cooperates with local government agencies, colleges, research institutions, and environmental protection organizations to convey to the general public the proper knowledge on CCUS, thereby eliminating their concerns about the new technology. CPC participated in a total of eight exhibitions in 2023, during which it used the CCUS model as a means to interact with the general public. Additionally, 350 questionnaires were issued to survey the public’s awareness, support, and concerns about CCUS.
Furthermore, CPC Petroleum Discovery Museum hosted a reality mystery-solving event in 2023 that invited visitors to look for clues in a physical setting as the story unfolds. The game not only gave participants a sense of accomplishment but also strengthened bonds between them. In this “CCUS Mystery” event, the museum introduced elements of CCUS technology into the game and designed a number of challenges that aimed to convey basic scientific knowledge to the participants, and thereby helping the general public develop proper awareness.
Carbon reduction issues continue to gather attention around the world. Considering how net zero emission has become a global shared value, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has designated “carbon capture, utilization, and storage” (CCUS) as one of the critical technologies for carbon reduction. CPC has made prominent progress in the development of CCUS technology, and aside from relying on its own R&D capacity, CPC also exchanges knowledge and cooperates with academic and research institutions in a proactive manner, and supports government policies by taking part in cross-department carbon storage trials. Data gathered from the test sites is presented to government agencies to support law-making. CPC hopes to convey its net zero carbon goals and promote CCUS technologies to the general public, and join the world in turning climate risks into green transformation opportunities as we take steps toward accomplishing net zero.