Bechtel, Calera ink carbon capture deal
11 Dec 2009
Los Gatos, California – Bechtel Power Corp has started a strategic alliance with Calera Corp. to develop and construct facilities using carbon capture technology. The deal centres on Calera’s process that captures carbon dioxide from coal- or gas-fired power plants and converts it into calcium and magnesium carbonates for use in manufacturing products such as sand, aggregate, cement, as well as fresh water.
Calera captures CO2 from raw flue gas in natural water, converting it to calcium and magnesium carbonates, which are formulated into carbon negative building materials, resulting in the production of fresh water. Calera claims its processes and technologies are described for cement production, CO2 capture and conversion, water purification, and electrochemistry in issued patents and published patent applications.
Bechtel has worked with the Calera team at its HQ, pilot plant, and on the engineering and design of several projects and government grant applications. Bechtel’s work in new technology and renewable energy markets includes experience in carbon capture, solar thermal, photovoltaic, wind, geothermal, integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC), energy-from-waste, and biomass projects.
“Bechtel key personnel have been working closely with Calera in equipment design and optimization, and increasingly large-scale plant deployment engineering and design,” said Brent Constantz, CEO of Calera. “We are very confident that our approach is the most technically viable, rapidly deployable, cost-effective and industrially scalable solution for large point-source emitters of CO2,” said Constantz.
Ian Copeland, president of Bechtel Renewables and New Technology, added: “The fundamental chemistry and physics of the Calera process are based on sound scientific principles and its core technology and equipment can be integrated with base power plants very effectively.
Bechtel has designed, built and installed similar technologies extensively, and said Copeland: “While there are challenges to bringing the Calera process to commercial scale, they are not as great as those facing other carbon sequestration approaches.”
