Hernán Milberg, the manager of Techint Engineering & Construction’s Energy Transition Department, gave a talk at the Argentine Oil and Gas Institute (IAPG), where he spoke about carbon capture and storage and highlighted the importance of collaboration between industries, governments and academia.

During the meeting on emissions at the Argentine Institute of Oil and Gas (IAPG), Hernán Milberg shared his vision of carbon capture as a vital tool on the path to decarbonization for electricity generation and other industrial processes

The talk was organized in collaboration with the Argentine Senate and the Secretariat for Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and included the participation of the Argentine Secretary of Energy, Flavia Royón, as well as a number of national senators.

Milberg underscored the importance of taking a closer look at carbon capture projects and explained what this process entails.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) consists of preventing the release into the atmosphere of emissions produced by fossil fuels used to generate electricity and in industrial processes. The carbon is later stored deep in geological formations, safely and permanently. 

Carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) technology goes beyond removing CO₂ from the atmosphere, enabling it to be recycled for use in various applications, such as producing synthetic fuels, or in the food and beverages industry. CCUS also means that carbon dioxide can be captured from specifically locatable physical points, such as industrial chimneys or flues, and can be removed directly from the atmosphere using Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology.

Decarbonization projects

Milberg explained that current estimates envisage a reduction of up to seven billion tons of CO₂ emissions by the year 2050 thanks to the use of carbon capture technologies. "It’s critical for us to start discussing strategies to implement decarbonization projects in different areas. This has been happening for some time with hydrogen, and we also need to start doing this in the area of carbon capture as well," he said.

He referred to the example of a recent proposal for a package of laws in the United States designed to come into force in 2030 that include historically tight limits on the operation of gas and coal-fired power plants to encourage them to adopt cleaner technologies such as carbon capture facilities. "In Argentina, we are holding similar discussions with the involvement of the Senate and the Ministry of Energy, which, if successful, will lead to the development and implementation of large-scale carbon capture projects," he explained.

Milberg highlighted that it was vital to achieve collaboration between industries, technological innovation and economic incentives, as these are key drivers for the carbon capture and storage business.

During the talk, the energy expert mentioned the locations where carbon capture activities are taking place around the world, and presented the most recent data on costs, highlighting the current competitiveness of the activity.