Carbon capture is underway at energy conglomerate National Thermal Power Corporation’s (NTPC’s) 500MW coal-fired power plant (Unit-13) at Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station, in Madhya Pradesh, India.

NTPC Energy Technology Research Alliance (NETRA) has selected Carbon Clean and Green Power International, which develops carbon capture solutions for hard-to-abate industries, to set up the carbon capture plant at NTPC Vindhyachal.

The plant is designed to capture 20 tonnes of CO2 per day, which will use a modified tertiary amine to capture CO2 from the flue gas of the power plant. The CO2 will eventually be combined with hydrogen to produce 10 tonnes per day of methanol through a catalytic hydrogenation process.

According to the NTPC, the capture of CO2 from the flue gas of coal-fired power plants, and its conversion to methanol, is a priority area and is expected to create potential new business opportunities and revenue streams for the company.

Aniruddha Sharma, chair and CEO of Carbon Clean, said in a statement: “We are thrilled to see our technology begin to capture carbon from NTPC’s plant and look forward to seeing how the CO2 to methanol project develops in the future. This project demonstrates how carbon capture supports industrial decarbonisation, as well as providing opportunities for companies to join the growing circular carbon economy.”

According to Carbon Clean, their CDRMax carbon capture technology can be used with point source gases that contain CO2 concentrations between 3% and 25% by volume and produces CO2 with purities greater than 99%, which can then be sold, re-used or sequestered.

The process uses the company’s solvent, process equipment design and heat integration to reduce capital and operating costs.

Surbhi Puri, director, Green Power International added: “It is a great honour and achievement to successfully demonstrate the carbon capture project at NTPC’s Vindhyachal plant.

“Decarbonisation through carbon capture is the future. With this small contribution towards the net zero economy, we hope to inspire the industry to make further strides in this decarbonisation drive.”