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DECARBONISING

THE GAS NETWORK

THE POTENTIAL ROLE OF CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE

Niamh Gillen, Innovation Engineer for Gas Networks Ireland implement this ambition are: compressed
and YPPC 2020 second runner-up natural gas, renewable gas (biomethane),
hydrogen, and carbon capture and
CLIMATE CHANGE IS one of the expected to be achieved with additional storage (CCS). This is illustrated in Figure
greatest challenges facing the world at wind and solar power. While this will 1 and a brief overview of the technologies
present. Global warming caused by the enhance Ireland’s energy sustainability, is given in Figure 2.
release of greenhouse gases is already it will also increase the amount of
having profound impacts on the global intermittent (non-firm) generation The potential for CCS for Ireland
community and human health. If the accessing the national grid. But when CCS, as described in Figure 2, has the
impacts of climate change are to be the wind does not blow and the sun potential to decarbonise gas-fired power
avoided, urgent collective action is does not shine, dispatchable firm power generation and industry. It can also be
required to reduce carbon dioxide must be available to provide security of used for hydrogen production and for
(CO₂) emissions. energy supply. negative emissions when combined with
At the 2015 United Nations Climate Gas Networks Ireland recognises the bioenergy. The following options have
Change Conference of Parties in Paris need for change and that Ireland must emerged during the initial assessment
(COP21), Ireland (as an EU member significantly increase its commitments for the potential for CCS in Ireland.
state) adopted a legally binding to tackling climate disruption. Our
agreement to keep global warming vision is for the gas network to evolve Option 1: Cork CCS project
below 2°C¹. Ireland’s greenhouse gas to become net zero carbon by 2050 and Capture CO₂ from power plants and
emissions per capita are the third to support emissions reductions across industry in the Cork area and transport
highest in the EU². The production of every sector of the Irish economy at the the CO₂ for injection in the Kinsale
electricity in Ireland is responsible for lowest cost possible. Head gas field. This option specifically
c.20 per cent of Ireland’s CO₂ emissions. refers to emissions capture at the
Strong economic and population Vision 2050 Aghada and Whitegate gas-fired power
growth is expected to increase annual Gas Networks Ireland aims to achieve stations and from industry in the
electricity demand in the years to come. its ambition by a combination of locality. Potentially, the CO₂ captured
The government has set a target that injecting net zero carbon and zero could be transported to the depleted
Ireland will achieve 70 per cent of its carbon gases into the network to Kinsale Head gas field via the network
future electricity need from renewable displace natural gas, and by abating of existing gas transmission pipes, with
sources by 2030³, (up from c.32 per cent natural gas. only a small element of new pipeline
in 2018). This ambitious increase is The technologies being assessed to possibly required.

Option 2: Ireland export project
FIGURE 1 A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO ACHIEVING A DECARBONISED GAS NETWORK Capture CO₂ from various industries
and power plants around Ireland (in
clusters) and ship the CO₂ overseas
to other European storage reservoirs.
This option envisages the capture
of CO₂ from large emitters in one or
more cluster ‘hub’ locations close
to Irish ports. The CO₂ would be
compressed into liquid form and
shipped onwards for storage at one
of several potential stores across
Europe. Supporting further work
on this option, in 2019 Ervia signed
a memorandum of understanding
with Norwegian company Equinor to
jointly collaborate in exploring the
possibility of CO₂ export from Ireland
for storage in Norway’s geological

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