7. Let's Talk About Carbon Capture Utilization Sequestration

Episode 7 of the Let’s Talk Energy Podcast podcast, hosted by Kirti Chintalapudi, titled "7. Let's Talk About Carbon Capture Utilization Sequestration" was published on June 16, 2025 and runs 20 minutes.

June 16, 2025 ·20m · Let’s Talk Energy Podcast

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Summary

In Episode 7, I explore carbon capture, utilization, and storage or CCUS. It’s a term that’s been showing up in more and more climate conversations, but what does it actually mean? How does it work? And is it really a solution or just a distraction? This episode covers the basics of CCUS, how the technology works, and why it's gaining traction now. I also look at the case for and against it. If you’d like to learn more, check out the resources included below. 00:00 Introduction 02:48 What is CCUS? 03:41 How Carbon Capture Works (Capture, Transport, Storage) 08:17 Why It’s Gaining Traction Now 14:38 The Case Against and For CCUS 18:37 Closing Thoughts Want to learn more? Check out the resources I used for this episode below. International Energy Agency. Tracking Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage. Accessed May 2025. International Energy Agency. Net Zero Roadmap: A Global Pathway to Keep the 1.5 °C Goal in Reach - 2023 Update. Accessed May 2025. World Resources Institute. 2023 IPCC AR6 Synthesis Report: What it Says, Why it Matters. March 2023. Global CCS Institute. Global Status of CCS Report 2024. November 2024. Reuters. U.S. Carbon Capture Storage Hit by Inflation, Trump-Era Investment Drop. April 30, 2025. Heidelberg Materials. We Decarbonize the Construction Industry: Carbon Capture in Brevik. Accessed May 2025. World Resources Institute (WRI). Carbon Capture Technology 101: What It Is and Why We Need It. April 2024. Statista. Global CO₂ Emissions from Fossil Fuels and Industry (1940–2024). Accessed May 2025. University of Texas at Austin. UT Energy Symposium: Sanjay Bishnoi (Entropy Inc.) on the Future of Carbon Capture. YouTube. Published April 2025. Projects Worth Checking out Entropy’s Glacier Power Plant (Alberta, Canada): Capturing CO₂ directly at a natural gas facility and reusing it on-site without pipeline transport. Heidelberg Materials Brevik Plant (Norway): One of the world’s first full-scale carbon capture systems at a cement plant, targeting 400,000 tonnes of CO₂ captured annually. Petra Nova (Texas, USA): A coal-fired power plant that captured over 3 million tonnes of CO₂ during its initial run; recently restarted with updated systems. Climeworks Mammoth Plant (Iceland): The world’s largest direct air capture plant, designed to remove 36,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year and store it permanently in volcanic rock. 1PointFive (Texas, USA): Backed by Occidental Petroleum, this project is building one of the first commercial-scale direct air capture hubs with plans to capture up to 500,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. Northern Lights (Norway): A joint venture by Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies, aiming to transport and store CO₂ captured from across Europe under the North Sea. Join the conversation: LinkedIn: Let's Talk Energy Podcast Instagram: @letstalkenergypod Facebook: Let's Talk Energy Podcast X: @theltepodcast Want to be a guest on the show? Fill out this form and we will get in touch with you.

Episode Description

00:00 Introduction
02:48 What is CCUS?
03:41 How Carbon Capture Works (Capture, Transport, Storage)
08:17 Why It’s Gaining Traction Now
14:38 The Case Against and For CCUS
18:37 Closing Thoughts

Want to learn more? Check out the resources I used for this episode below.

International Energy Agency. Tracking Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage. Accessed May 2025.
International Energy Agency. Net Zero Roadmap: A Global Pathway to Keep the 1.5 °C Goal in Reach - 2023 Update. Accessed May 2025.
World Resources Institute. 2023 IPCC AR6 Synthesis Report: What it Says, Why it Matters. March 2023.
Global CCS Institute. Global Status of CCS Report 2024. November 2024.
Reuters. U.S. Carbon Capture Storage Hit by Inflation, Trump-Era Investment Drop. April 30, 2025.
Heidelberg Materials. We Decarbonize the Construction Industry: Carbon Capture in Brevik. Accessed May 2025.
World Resources Institute (WRI). Carbon Capture Technology 101: What It Is and Why We Need It. April 2024.
Statista. Global CO₂ Emissions from Fossil Fuels and Industry (1940–2024). Accessed May 2025.
University of Texas at Austin. UT Energy Symposium: Sanjay Bishnoi (Entropy Inc.) on the Future of Carbon Capture. YouTube. Published April 2025.

Projects Worth Checking out

Entropy’s Glacier Power Plant (Alberta, Canada): Capturing CO₂ directly at a natural gas facility and reusing it on-site without pipeline transport.
Heidelberg Materials Brevik Plant (Norway): One of the world’s first full-scale carbon capture systems at a cement plant, targeting 400,000 tonnes of CO₂ captured annually.
Petra Nova (Texas, USA): A coal-fired power plant that captured over 3 million tonnes of CO₂ during its initial run; recently restarted with updated systems.
Climeworks Mammoth Plant (Iceland): The world’s largest direct air capture plant, designed to remove 36,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year and store it permanently in volcanic rock.
1PointFive (Texas, USA): Backed by Occidental Petroleum, this project is building one of the first commercial-scale direct air capture hubs with plans to capture up to 500,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year.
Northern Lights (Norway): A joint venture by Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies, aiming to transport and store CO₂ captured from across Europe under the North Sea.

Join the conversation:

Want to be a guest on the show?

Fill out this form and we will get in touch with you.