Leading California energy producer Aera Energy just announced the launch of its first large-scale carbon capture and storage project (CCS) called CarbonFrontier.
The newly launched CarbonFrontier CCS project is part of a planned regional carbon capture hub intended for future decarbonization efforts.
“The energy landscape is transforming, and Aera’s strategy is coexistence – ensuring Californians have the energy they need today as we work toward a lower carbon future,” said Aera Energy President and CEO Erik Bartsch.
Bartsch pointed out that the company’s move is aligned with the state’s strategy and policy objectives to deploy innovative, climate-friendly energy solutions.
Namely, California has set out to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, which will require the large-scale deployment of CCS to slash planet-warming CO2 emissions from industrial processes, particularly such as from the energy sector.
Aera Energy’s new carbon capture project is expected to become operational towards the end of this decade with a capacity of capturing up to 1.6 million metric tons of CO2 annually, which are then to be permanently stored at the company’s Belridge oil field.
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It is estimated that the emissions reductions resulting from the CarbonFrontier project will be the equivalent of about 30,000 households, which, although still very significant, will contribute a little over 1% of the state’s total ambition of capturing over 100 million tons of CO2 per year.
The company submitted its permit application for the project to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) earlier this year.
And as far as safety is concerned, it will be under continuous observation form different local, state and federal regulators, including the EPA and the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
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