GreenCap Solutions has announced the launch of a demonstration project to test its carbon capture technology in primary aluminium production. The project, which is already underway, is supported by Norwegian state enterprise Gassnova through the CLIMIT programme, and aims to address one of the most significant hurdles in the aluminium industry: capturing CO₂ from low-concentration point sources.

According to a statement published by Greencap Solutions, the direct emissions of CO₂ from the electrolysis process in primary aluminium production amount to approximately 1.5 kg of CO₂ per kg of liquid aluminium. However, the low concentration of CO₂ in the flue gases, around 1 percent, poses a major obstacle to effective capture.

In collaboration with Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company Hydro Aluminium Metal, Greencap Solutions will verify the performance of its own capture technology against real flue gas streams from industry. A key objective is to document how impurities in the flue gas affect material performance and CO₂ capture efficiency.

GreenCap’s process is based on physical adsorption using a solid sorbent, without the use of chemicals. It has already been demonstrated in practical operation through Direct Air Capture (DAC) units and applied in CO₂ recovery solutions in agriculture, as well as in industrial applications requiring CO₂-free air.

Essentially the process uses high-capacity fans to draw air from the atmosphere. The air is dehumidified before it is sent through a zeolite bed that absorbs the CO₂ onto its porous surface. This clean air is then released from the capture unit back into the atmosphere. In the meantime, heat is applied to the now-saturated zeolite bed in order to recover the CO_2. The CO2 gas is cooled and returned to its liquid state so that it can be transported to a permanent storage site or used in other industrial applications.

Read more.