Rolls-Royce has secured GBP3m from the UK Government to build a demonstrator Direct Air Capture (DAC) system, which could play a vital role in keeping global temperature rises to below 1.5C by removing CO2 from the atmosphere.

The demonstrator funding comes from the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP) through the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and helps deliver on the UK Government's 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution. It follows initial Phase 1 funding of GBP250,000 awarded in 2021, that allowed Rolls-Royce to design the demonstrator in partnership with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

The demonstrator, to be built in Derby, UK, will be operational during 2023 and be capable of removing more than 100 tonnes of CO2 per year from the atmosphere. CO2 removed from the atmosphere by such systems can be stored ensuring that it no longer contributes to global warming. It can also be recycled to make fuel for hard to decarbonise sectors such as aviation, enabling the more rapid phase out of fossil fuels.

A full-scale version of this plant could remove 1 million tonnes per year. The UK's target is to remove 25 million tons of CO2 per year by 2030; and the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that 980 million tonnes a year will need to be removed globally to limit global warming to 1.5C.

Jess Poole, Direct Air Capture Lead for Rolls-Royce, said: 'Every credible climate change model requires us to decarbonise today's emissions, as well as removing CO2 already in the atmosphere via carbon negative technologies such as DAC. Our system combines our expertise in moving large quantities of air efficiently and integrating complex systems, which have been gained from designing world-leading jet engines, with novel DAC technology developed by CSIRO.

'Together the system works like a giant lung, sucking in air, absorbing the CO2, and releasing what is not wanted. We use a water-based liquid to wash around 50% of the CO2 from the captured air. Our technology is distinctive because very little water is used, and the liquid is recycled at low temperatures, making it energy efficient. Other technologies consume a lot of water and require substantial amounts of energy to generate heat for the separation of the CO2.

'This funding is great news for the team, and we're excited about the future potential of this technology to help fight climate change.'

The demonstrator system will be built and operated by an in-house team at Rolls-Royce in an existing aerospace test facility, called Test Bed 52, on our Derby campus. This facility was previously used to test jet engines and is built for drawing in air and measuring how well new technologies perform.

The development of the DAC technology concept complements the progress Rolls-Royce has made since the launch of our Net Zero roadmap in 2021. We are making our operations and facilities net zero by 2030; improving the efficiency of our products to burn less fuel and making them compatible with sustainable fuels; and developing new net zero technologies.

Since 2021 we have: launched two new ventures, one for electrical power for flight; and for small modular nuclear power stations.

Demonstrated key electrical flight technologies and broken three world speed records with the Spirit of Innovation aircraft

Launched a subscription service for sustainable combined heat and power and microgrids with SDCL

Begun to power the UK's Chiltern Line with hybrid-electric powerpacks on HybridFLEX trains.

Brought together key players in the oil and gas industry to help stimulate the supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and received our first delivery for jet engine testing

Approved our Series 4000 and Series 1600 diesel engines for use with a range of EN15940-certified synthetic diesel fuels - including Biomass to Liquid (BtL), Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and Power to Liquid (PtL) fuels - for power generation applications.

Signed a deal to enable the Port of Duisburg to become climate neutral with a power system that includes hydrogen fuel cells.

Announced our entry into the hydrogen production market and acquired a majority stake in electrolysis stack specialist Hoeller Electrolyzer

By 2023 we will:

Have at least one of our manufacturing sites in the UK fully net zero

Built and tested our UltraFan technology demonstrator, which will be 25% more efficient than the first generation of Trent jet engines, on 100% SAF.

Demonstrated that all our existing Trent civil aerospace engines are compatible with 100% SAF

About Rolls-Royce Holdings plc

1. Rolls-Royce pioneers the power that matters to connect, power and protect society. We have pledged to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions in our operations by 2030. We joined the UN Race to Zero campaign in 2020, and have committed to ensuring our new products will be compatible with net zero operation by 2030, and all products will be compatible with net zero by 2050.

2. Rolls-Royce has customers in more than 150 countries, comprising more than 400 airlines and leasing customers, 160 armed forces and navies, and more than 5,000 power and nuclear customers.

3. Annual underlying revenue was GBP11.76 billion in 2020 and we invested GBP1.25 billion on research and development. We also support a global network of 28 University Technology Centres, which position Rolls-Royce engineers at the forefront of scientific research.

4. Rolls-Royce Holdings plc is a publicly traded company (LSE:RR., ADR: RYCEY, LEI: 213800EC7997ZBLZJH69).

About BEIS

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

This funding has been made available from the government's GBP1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, which aims to provide funding for developing technologies that enable the removal of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere in the UK. This programme will support the design and feasibility of these technologies through to the demonstration of fully functioning pre-commercial units.

Contact:

T: 01332 242424

(C) 2022 Electronic News Publishing, source ENP Newswire