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Partners

Our research partnership combines the experience and expertise of 17 partners from ten European countries in the field of carbon capture, utilisation and storage, a technology considered crucial to climate action. The project is being coordinated by BRGM, France’s national earth sciences institute.

BRGM

Country:

Project Coordinator, WP1 leader, WP2 co-leader, WP3, WP5, WP6

BRGM is France’s leading public institution in the field of Earth Sciences. Its main activities are scientific research, support for government policy, and international cooperation and development. It is one of the pioneers of CO2 geological storage research, participating from 1993 in the first European research project (Joule II) and in the first pilots worldwide, including Sleipner, Weyburn, In Salah, Nagaoka, Ketzin, Lacq-Rousse and Hontomín.

The institution also conducts research at natural CO2 fields, such as Montmiral in France, and at natural CO2 seepage areas in Italy, Germany and France. Its scientists have expertise in site selection and characterisation, predictive modelling, risk analysis, monitoring and safety management, thus addressing a wide range of the issues related to CO2 geological storage.

BRGM has managed the CO2GeoNet European Network of Excellence on the geological storage of CO2 and has coordinated the FP7 projects, CGS Europe and ULTimateCO2. BRGM is currently Coordinator of the H2020 ENOS project. It is involved in the ECCSEL H2020 INFRADEV-3 project, the CO2-DISSOLVED concept, and is a member of ZEP, EERA CCS and French Club CO2.

IFP Energies Nouvelles

Country:

WP5 leader, WP4 co-leader

IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) is a major research and training player in the fields of energy, transport and the environment. It is heavily involved in the fields of CCS and CCUS and is strongly committed to the development of capture, transport and CO2 storage technologies.

IFPEN leads several of the European Union’s FP6 and FP7 projects – CASTOR, INCA-CO2 COACH and CESAR – and is also a key partner in other projects, including CACHET, ENCAP, DYNAMIS, CAPRICE, ECCO, COCATE, CO2ReMoVe, CO2GeoNet and GeoCapacity. It is involved in industrial CCS demo projects with Petrobras and TOTAL.

It is developing innovative industrial processes for capturing CO2, which are less expensive and consume less energy, and tools for managing CO2 geological storage. It is also active in the field of storage site selection and characterisation, optimisation of CO2 injection in underground reservoirs, long-term storage monitoring and the re-use of CO2.

Total S.A.

Country:

WP4 leader

Total is a multinational energy company, the fourth largest publicly traded integrated oil and gas company, and a chemicals manufacturer. It operates in more than 130 countries and engages in all aspects of the petroleum industry as well as renewable energy. It has research centres in France, Belgium, UK, Norway, United States, Canada and Qatar.

Total has a long experience of various industrial units for gas separation at oil and gas fields and of refining and petrochemical units. It participates in CCUS research and development through studies in which many collaborators from its different divisions – exploration production, gas, renewables and power, refining and chemicals – bring their expertise.

University of Evora

Country:

WP2 leader, WP4, WP5

The Institute of Earth Sciences (ICT) is based at the University of Évora, with branches at the Universities of Minho (Braga) and Porto. It has four research groups covering the main areas of Earth Sciences: Atmospheric Sciences, Instrumentation and Climate; Energy, Water, and Environment; Geodynamics, Geological Resources and Geological Materials; and Geoconservation, Geo-archaeology and Education in Geosciences. Research on CCUS is carried out within the Energy, Water, and Environment group and the Geodynamics, Geological Resources and Geological Materials group.

The University fosters close links with the wider community, made possible through the creation of working networks and dissemination of knowledge, such as participation in the Science and Technology Park.

IGME

Country:

WP2, WP3, WP4, WP5

The Spanish Geological Survey (IGME), created in 1849, is a self-governing public research institution with a focus on Earth Sciences. In particular, IGME assists and advises public administrations, economic agents and society in general concerning geology, hydrogeology, geo-environmental sciences, and geological resources and minerals, including energy resources.

Since 2000, IGME has led on CO2 geological storage in Spain, actively participating in national and European initiatives, projects and networks. It is an active player in the study and evaluation of CO2 storage sites as well as a key agent in the Spanish CO2 CCUS network.

It is a member of Spain’s CO2Technology Platform, which promotes the development and deployment of CCS technologies and CO2 uses to support the country’s emission reduction commitments and build a competitive CO2 sector.

CIEMAT

Country:

WP3 co-leader, WP2, WP4, WP5, WP6

CIEMAT, part of Spain’s Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness, is a public research agency for excellence in energy and environment, as well as in many vanguard technologies and in various areas of fundamental research.

CIEMAT will bring to STRATEGY CCUS its expertise from two distinct and complementary research units, namely the Energy Systems Analysis Unit in Madrid; and the Sociotechnical Research Centre in Barcelona.

Its researchers have wide expertise in life cycle assessment methodology, multi-regional input output methodology, social sciences methods for the identification of the key actors, their attitudes, expectations and concerns, and expertise in public and stakeholder engagement methodologies.

UNIZG-RGNF

Country:

WP2, WP3, WP4, WP5, WP6

The University of Zagreb’s Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering (UNIZG- RGNF) organises and conducts higher education and research activities within the domain of technical (mining, petroleum and geological engineering) and natural sciences (geology).

UNIZG- RGNF has participated in three FP6 projects, three FP7 projects and two Horizon 2020 projects to date. It actively participates in several international networks and consortia on landslides, CO2GeoNet, ENeRG and EIT KIC Raw Materials. The Faculty conducted the Strategy for Management of Mineral Resources in the Republic of Croatia and was a partner institution in the preparation of the Republic of Croatia’s Energy Strategy.

It has conducted 550 professional projects in the last five years, with more than 250 national and regional industrial partners.

GeoEcoMar

Country:

WP2, WP3, WP4, WP5, WP6

Romania’s National Institute for Research and Development of Marine Geology and Geoecology (GeoEcoMar) was established in 1993 and is the focal point of national excellence in research and consultancy on marine, coastal, river and lacustrine geology, geophysics and CO2 storage.

Work related to CO2 geological storage began with the affiliation of the institute to ENeRG in 2001 and continued with participation in national and international projects related to CCS, including EU GeoCapacity, CO2NetEAST, CGS Europe, ENOS, and CO2Stop).

GeoEcoMar is the founder member of Romania’s CO2 Club and the coordinator and main developer of the CO2 storage aspect of the feasibility study for the GETICA CCS demonstration project. The institute also actively supported the transposition of the EU’s CCS Directive into Romanian legislation.

CERTH

Country:

WP2, WP3, WP4, WP5, WP6

The Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH), founded in 2000, is the largest research centre in Northern Greece. It is a non-profit organisation directly reporting to the General Secretariat for Research and Technology of the Greek Ministry of Development.

CERTH’s mission is to carry out fundamental and applied research with an emphasis on the development of novel products and services of industrial, economic and social importance, including the fields of chemical and biochemical processes and advanced functional material, environmentally friendly technologies for solid fuels and alternative energy sources. It has participated in more than 1000 competitive research projects financed by the EU.

The Chemical Process & Energy Resources Institute (CPERI) operates at CERTH and is the main Greek organisation for the promotion of research and technological development aiming at the improved and integrated exploitation of all types of fuels and their by-products, such as CO2.

GIG (Central Mining Institute)

Country:

WP2, WP3, WP4, WP5, WP6

Poland’s Central Mining Institute (GIG), established in 1945, is a governmental research institute engaged in mining engineering, safety in mines, and environmental protection in the hard coal mining sector.

The multidisciplinary activities of the Institute comprise the following fields: mining engineering, geology and hydrogeology, geophysical engineering, combating natural and technical hazards in the mining industry, clean coal technologies, energy, upgrading and utilisation of minerals and reserves, monitoring and environmental protection in areas of mining exploitation, especially industrial waste management, and certification of equipment and materials.

GIG is a participant of the Zero Emission Fossil Fuel Power Plant, Sustainable Mineral Resources and Sustainable Chemistry European Technology platforms.

Scottish Carbon Capture & Storage / University of Edinburgh

Country:

WP6 leader, WP2, WP5

The University of Edinburgh has a strong track record in many aspects of CCS research, particularly geology and engineering but also understanding public and community perceptions and mechanisms for better engagement.

Scottish Carbon Capture & Storage (SCCS), based at the University of Edinburgh, is the largest CCS research partnership in the UK, with its partner institutes (British Geological Survey, Heriot-Watt University, the University of Aberdeen, the University of Edinburgh and the University of Strathclyde) spearheading innovative CCUS research. The SCCS Team works with academia, industry and government, delivering CCS analysis and synthesis, business development, policy research and engagement, knowledge exchange and dissemination activities to a range of projects and stakeholders.

SCCS is a key partner in a number of European projects, including the European CCUS Projects Network, ACT Acorn (completed), ALIGN-CCUS, ELEGANCY, DETECT and PreACT.  It has led a number of joint projects with high-profile industrial partners – such as CO2MultiStore and CO2-EOR – and has strong links with existing UK initiatives and international projects, including Teesside (UK), Otway (Australia) and Boundary Dam (Canada); it is also a founder member of the Guangdong CCUS Centre in China.

NORCE

Country:

WP5 co-leader, WP1, WP2, WP4, WP6

NORCE Norwegian Research Center AS is a recognised research institute with a focus on applied research. Rogaland Research was established in 1973, and because of a technical re-structuring of its ownership, NORCE was established in 2006. Research activities began in the field of social science but quickly developed to include petroleum.

NORCE remains an independent research institute with research and research-related activities in petroleum, CO2 storage, new energy, marine environment, biotechnology, social science and business development.

Fraunhofer ISI

Country:

WP3 leader

The Fraunhofer Society is a non-profit organisation and Europe’s largest institute for applied research. It has around 80 research institutes across Germany.  The Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI analyses the origins and impacts of innovation, researching short and long-term developments of innovation processes and the impacts of new technologies and services on society.

With an interdisciplinary staff working on a multitude of aspects of clean energy transitions, Fraunhofer ISI possesses an in-depth socio-technical and techno-economic expertise as well as institutional knowledge of energy, climate, renewable, innovation and industrial policy at a European, national, federal and local level.
It will focus on stakeholder engagement and social acceptance for CCUS as part of this project.

FCT NOVA

Country:

WP2, WP3, WP5, WP6

The University of Lisbon’s School of Science and Technology (FCT NOVA) is one of the most prestigious Portuguese and European engineering and science centres. FCT NOVA has international partnerships with, for example, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Texas at Austin. It has broad expertise in cutting-edge R&D, ranging from materials, environment and biotechnologies to conservation and restoration.

The Centre for Environmental and Sustainability Research (CENSE) at FCT NOVA is devoted to interdisciplinary research in environmental sciences and engineering. The CENSE research group on Climate Change and Sustainable Energy develops research in the field of energy-environment modelling. It focuses on the assessment of energy and environment policy instruments, cost-effectiveness potential of energy technologies for medium to long-term scenarios, and mitigation options under greenhouse gases emissions caps.

SNSPA

Country:

WP6 co-lead, WP3

Romania’s National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) in Bucharest is a public university with all the three educational levels: undergraduate, master and doctorate. It develops professional skills in public administration, communication sciences, management, diplomacy, political sciences, sociology, contributing to national developments.

SNSPA is composed of four colleges: Communication and Public Relations, Public Administration, Political Sciences and Management. The College of Communication and Public Relations provides expertise to the STRATEGY CCUS project.

With regard to carbon capture, use and storage research, SNSPA is a partner in the EU-funded ALIGN-CCUS project (ACT, 2017- 2020), contributing to the Work Package 6, Implementing CCUS in society. SNSPA was also a partner in the Fenco ERA-NET Project (2009-2010), which used quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the effects of CCS communication on general and local publics.

CIMPOR

Country:

WP2, WP3, WP4, WP5

CIMPOR-Indústria de Cimentos, SA (CIMPOR INDÚSTRIA) is a subsidiary of CIMPOR-CIMENTOS DE PORTUGAL, SGPS, S.A., a company which operates in the cement, ready-mixed concrete and aggregates business in Portugal and Cape Verde. It holds three cement integrated production plants, located in Alhandra, Loulé and Souselas, and a grinding and distribution center located in the Azores islands, in Portugal, as well as a cement distribution center, in Cape Verde. It is involved in the production, distribution and sale of cement and dry mortar and the marketing of white cement and hydraulic lime.

Being the biggest player in the Portuguese cement market, it is committed to stringent sustainability goals and to fulfilling its share of global responsibility to keep the temperature rise below 2ºC according to the Paris Agreement.

The company invests in research and development by means of a close cooperation with national and international universities and research institutes in specific areas of interest, including climate change.

CIMPOR is engaged in the creation of a Collaborative Laboratory, in Portugal, for the national cement sector – C5Lab – which will cover topics such as the development of cementitious materials for sustainable solutions, CO2 capture and use, and energy efficiency.

DGEG

Country:

WP2, WP3, WP4

Portugal’s Directorate-General of Energy and Geology (DGEG) is a public administration body responsible for designing, implementing and evaluating policies on energy and geological resources.

DGEG’s focus includes operational work, such as energy statistics, regulatory measures, licencing of installations, policy implementation, and policy monitoring. It also has responsibility for strategic energy and geology planning as part of, for example, national plans for security of supply (electricity and natural gas), energy efficiency, renewable energy and the national energy-climate plan 2030 (NECP).

The DGEG R&D team has been collaborating for more than 25 years with universities, public laboratories and other research centres on sustainable development, climate change adaptation and mitigation, fossil and renewable fuels, CCS, renewable thermal and electrical energy, design for strategic innovation and life cycle assessment.