Research conducted by IDMEC – Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, a partner of the DRIVE project, will be presented at the International Conference on Bioenergy & Bioeconomy (IBBC 2026), taking place on 28–30 October 2026 in Seville, Spain.
The contribution, entitled “Assessing the Environmental Performance of Thermally Driven CO₂ Capture”, is authored by Leandro Magalhães, Sofia Nunes and Ana Ferreira. It examines the environmental implications of carbon capture technologies, highlighting the importance of evaluating their overall sustainability alongside their CO₂ capture performance.
Evaluating the Environmental Impacts of CO₂ Capture
Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) technologies are increasingly recognised as important solutions for reducing emissions in hard-to-abate industries, such as cement production. However, assessing their environmental performance is essential to ensure that emissions reductions do not generate additional environmental burdens elsewhere.
The study applies Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to a cement production system integrating a combined heat and power (CHP) unit with a post-combustion CO₂ capture process operating at a 95% capture rate.
Using a cradle-to-gate assessment focused on operational impacts, the research evaluates the environmental implications associated with capturing one tonne of CO₂.
Key Findings and Implications
The results highlight the significant influence of energy consumption on the overall environmental performance of CO₂ capture systems.
Among the environmental impact categories assessed, human carcinogenic toxicity was identified as the most significant, followed by fossil resource scarcity and global warming potential.
The analysis indicates that natural gas consumption for mechanical and thermal processes is a major contributor to environmental impacts. Furthermore, the study identifies opportunities to improve system efficiency through operational optimisation, co-product recycling and alternative disposal pathways.
These findings underline that the sustainability of CO₂ capture technologies depends not only on capture efficiency but also on the energy sources and supporting processes involved.
Supporting DRIVE’s Research Objectives
The research contributes to the broader scientific understanding of the environmental performance of emerging CO₂ capture solutions, a key consideration in the development of sustainable industrial decarbonisation pathways.
The findings also provide a methodological basis for future comparison with the CESAR1 power plant case study, supporting further assessment of CO₂ capture configurations and opportunities for improved system integration.
Through the research activities of its partners and their participation in international scientific conferences, DRIVE continues to promote knowledge exchange and evidence-based approaches to sustainable CO₂ capture technologies.