Key components installed for Ørsted's Kalundborg CO2 project

Danish energy company Ørsted has announced a milestone has been reached for its Kalundborg CO2 Hub carbon capture and storage project.

Five sets of absorbers, desorbers, and direct contact coolers have been lifted into place, three sets at Asnæs Power Station and two sets at Avedøre Power Station.

Ørsted explains that the coolers, absorbers and desorbers perform a key role in capturing the CO2.

The direct contact cooler cools the flue gas and removes impurities. The absorber removed CO2 from the flue gas after which the carbon dioxide-rich liquid is sent to the desorber. The desorber is where the liquid is heated to release the CO2 gas which is then captured and stored.

The placing of these key components means work has also started on installing internals and piping for the components, connecting them to the rest of the power stations.

Additionally, Ørsted has received CO2 tanks where the captured carbon dioxide will be stored before being shipped to the Northern Lights storage reservoir in the North Sea once the Kalundborg CO2 Hub is operational.

Have you read?
Solar-powered reactor captures CO2 from air to make green fuel
From waste to wealth: The multi-billion-dollar carbon removals market

Ole Thomsen, senior vice president and Head of Bioenergy at Ørsted, commented in a statement: "By establishing a full CCS value chain, the ‘Ørsted Kalundborg CO2 Hub’ marks the beginning of the Danish CCS adventure. Therefore, I’m proud to see the construction taking shape, as the key components are lifted into place. It’s a key milestone that we’ve been working towards since beginning the construction. The absorbers, desorbers, and direct contact coolers are essential components that enable the facility to capture and store CO2. With those in place, we’ve taken a great leap forward towards realisation of our project.”

Kalundborg CO2 Hub

When fully operational, Ørsted's Kalundborg CO2 Hub will capture 430,000 tonnes of biogenic CO2 annually from the two combined heat and power plants.

Ørsted will capture 150,000 tonnes of biogenic carbon per year from the straw-fired unit at Avedøre Power Station and 280,000 tonnes of biogenic carbon per year from the wood chip-fired unit at Asnæs Power Station.

The energy company was awarded the 20-year contract by the Danish Energy Agency in May 2023 and aims to have the plant fully operating in early 2026.