At a Glance

2010-ET-CP-25

The aim of the study was to investigate

ways of reducing CO2 emissions in
industry through the use of by-product
CO2 and to assess the feasibility of these
opportunities.

Recovery & Reuse of Carbon Dioxide

from
Industrial
Waste
Streams

Four companies participated from the

brewery, dairy and snack food
industries. The results were then
extrapolated across similar industries/
technologies in Ireland in order to
quantify the potential for emissions
reductions across Irish industry as a
whole.
Summary of findings:
Based on EU-ETS data, it is estimated
that it is feasible to reduce the
emissions from industry in Ireland by
3.2% by recovery of CO2 from the
exhausts of CHP turbines.
The current size of Irelands CO2
market could limit the feasibility of
these projects.
By-product CO2 from fermentation can
feasibly be used to neutralise alkaline
effluent.
The demand for CO2 will increase as
new applications are developing.
The effect of increasing the rate of (or
introducing a) carbon credit on project
payback is shown below

Churchtown Business Park,

Dublin 14
www.fdt.ie
FDT is an Irish-owned, independent
process engineering consultancy, based in
Dublin, serving clients in Ireland, the UK,
Europe and Africa. Formed in 1991, the
company has a highly skilled team of
engineering consultants with professional
qualifications and strong technical
experience that provide an in-depth
knowledge of process, utilities &
packaging plant.
FDT serve a range of sectors, such as
brewing, food and dairy, pharmaceutical,
healthcare and chemical industries, with a
variety of process engineering solutions
and consulting services. The company has
strong sustainability and resource
efficiency capabilities which help to
reduce our clients operating costs and
meet their compliance obligations.

The main CO2 sources were identified on

each site and quantify using site data, such
as previous emissions testing, fuel usage
and run hours of equipment. Schematics
were generated for each facility.
Flue gas analysis was carried out to assess
the quality of the CO2 which was
generated as a result of combustion. The
concentration of CO2 in the stream as well
as other parameters, such as temperature
and velocity, were measured. Other
information, such as SOx and NOx
concentrations, were obtained from IPPC
license data.

Flue gas analysis apparatus

The results of the analysis were
communicated to CO2 recovery equipment
and dosing system vendors who supplied
pricing and running information for
systems for each site.

Aims
The aim of the project was to assess CO2
sources at four industrial sites, to identify
potential sinks and to assess the potential
for reducing CO2 emissions. Any
equipment required for each opportunity
was to be sized and costed and the
economic viability of the system assessed.
Project description

The feasibility of CO2 recovery is

substantially increased if a local sink
exists.
If no local sink exists, the CO2 source
must be very large for CO2 recovery to
be feasible.

The combined CO2 emissions from these

facilities is 67,830 t/annum.

Four production facilities were identified

to participate in this study. These were
Brewing: Diageo, Kilkenny
Dairy: Dairygold, Mitchelstown
Dairy: Glanbia, Ballitore
Snack Foods: Largo Foods, Ashbourne

CO2 Recovery Process Outline

Outcomes
Environmental Findings
It was concluded that it is technically
feasible to recover 38,000t CO2 per annum
from 9.8MW of CHP turbines on one of
the sites.

If the additional 53MW of known CHP

turbines in Ireland operate in a similar
manner, a total of 243,600t CO2 per
annum could be prevented from
entering the atmosphere (equating to
an estimate3.2% of emissions from
industry).
Use of by-product CO2 for effluent
neutralisation was found to be feasible.
Advantages of neutralisation with CO2:
- Reduce emissions from site.
- Reduce emissions from production
and transport of mineral acids.
- Remove health and safety risks
associated with use of strong
mineral acids.
- Improved process control (see
below)

Carbon credits could substantially

improve feasibility of emissions
reductions projects. At the moment,
a benefit of approximately 12/t is
available to members of the EU ETS.
It is projected that the carbon credit
rate will rise in the coming years
which would improve feasibility of
the opportunities identified in the
study. See the effect on paybacks
below

Effect of rising carbon credit rate on

project paybacks
Other findings

Neutralisation curves
common mineral acids

of

CO2

and

Use of CO2 for effluent neutralisation

could be extended to other industries
that generate alkaline waste water.
There is significant scope for emission
reductions in this area.
CO2 enrichment in greenhouses can
increase crop yields by as much as 15%.
Greenhouses and algae production
could form good sinks if adjacent to an
industrial site. Since waste heat in
exhaust streams could also be used a
further reduction in emissions would be
achieved.

From a strategic perspective, reduced

CO2 emissions have several benefits.
Carbon footprint is of increasing
importance in supply chain selection.
Organisations
have
a
social
responsibility to minimise their
impact on the environment. Reducing
CO2 emissions can be used as a
marketing tool to promote a positive
company or brand image.
Lessons learned
Detailed technical and commercial
analysis is required to assess the
opportunities identified.
Local users of CO2 are preferable from
both environmental and economic
perspectives.
The potential for reducing emissions
2
in Ireland by CO recovery is limited by
the size of the CO2 market.

Economic Findings
The economic viability of any CO2
recovery project relies on the market
for CO2.
If no local sink is available (such as
carbonation or effluent neutralisation),
the source of CO2 must be very large to
make recovery economically feasible
While CO2 recovery from CHP turbines
was found to be feasible it is subject to
some changes in operation
combustion efficiency will be reduced.

More information
For more information on this project
please contact:
Contact: Michael Clancy
FDT Consulting Engineers and Project
Managers
Tel:
+353 (0)1 2960022
Email: michael.clancy@fdt.ie

The
Cleaner
Greener
Production
Programme (CGPP) of the EPA is funded
under the National Development Plan
2007-2013. The CGPP was launched in
2001 as a grant scheme to fund Irish
organisations to implement cleaner
greener
practices
while
achieving
significant cost savings.
Cleaner Greener Production is the
application of integrated preventive
environmental strategies to processes,
products and services to increase overall
efficiency and reduce risks to humans and
the environment.
Production processes: conserving raw
materials and energy, eliminating toxic
raw materials, and reducing the
quantity and toxicity of all emissions
and wastes
Products: reducing negative impacts
along the life cycle of a product, from
raw materials extraction to its ultimate
disposal.
Services: incorporating environmental
concerns into designing and delivering
services.
The programme aims are focussed on
avoiding
and
preventing
adverse
environmental impact rather than treating
or cleaning up afterwards. This approach
brings better economic and environmental
efficiency.
The CGPP is funded by the EPA STRIVE and
NWPP programmes

Additional case studies from companies

that participated in CGPP are available on
our website (www.cleanerproduction.ie),
including:
A full technical report for each project
Programme brochures, summarising
all projects funded under CGPP
More information on CGPP is available
from the EPA:
Lisa Sheils
Environmental Protection Agency,
Richview, Clonskeagh,
Dublin 14, Ireland
Tel: +353 (0)1 2680100
http://www.epa.ie/researchandeducation/research