University of Illinois Facilities and Services

Carbon Capture at Abbott Power Plant

Achieving carbon neutrality is one of the major goals of Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP). The University of Illinois is committed to reducing its carbon emissions to reach net zero emissions by 2050. F&S specifically continues to stay involved in supporting research to serve this ultimate goal. Part of their emission reduction strategy is to adopt technologies that remove carbon from air emissions (carbon capture) at Abbott Power Plant. Successful development of new technologies would also have global implications for cleaner energy.

Abbott Power Plant currently hosts two carbon-capture research projects funded by the Department of Energy. First, ISTC is working with Linde Gas North America to test three technologies for reducing aerosol particle concentrations in flue gas. This work is intended to help make solvent-based carbon capture technology more economical at commercial scales.

The second project, led by ISGS in a joint effort with ISTC and Trimeric Corporation, is working to advance the early development of a CO₂ absorption technology at 40 kilowatt (kWe) following successful proof-of-concept and lab-scale development research. This technology uses a novel biphasic CO₂ absorption process that involves applying a proprietary solvent developed by ISGS researchers for post-combustion CO₂ capture, an approach that could dramatically improve energy efficiency, lower the equipment cost and footprint, and maintain operational simplicity.