ICO₂N Research

Grounded analysis and research is a key part of ICO₂N’s mandate. Strong technical, economic and policy knowledge is crucial to advancing Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).  Areas of analysis undertaken by ICO₂N include:

• Technology – ongoing review of promising CO₂ capture technologies and analysis of associated economics
• Integration – development of a large-scale economic model to understand Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) deployment potential over the next decade and conceptualize integration of CCS infrastructure in Canada
• Economics – ICO₂N’s detailed economic model provides a picture of what is required for large-scale deployment.  ICO₂N has undertaken significant work to explore the best ways to fill the economic gap facing early CCS projects.  ICO₂N has also looked at the development of an Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) industry in Canada and its associated economic activity and government revenue.
• Competitiveness – a comparative analysis of the volume potential and relative costs of various Canadian greenhouse gas reduction options (including CCS, energy efficiency, nuclear, renewables, etc.)
• Research Methodology – development of a quantification methodology to determine how much CO₂ has been reduced through CCS and guidelines for how to conduct capture cost assessments
• Safety – CO₂ pipeline risk assessment, long-term storage safety, and the development of a CO₂ purity standard study that is safe and economically optimizes all pieces of the CCS value chain
• Policy – ICO₂N has undertaken extensive policy work, which has been shared with government, to ensure that responsible CCS regulations are implemented and policies are developed to encourage deployment.

Through this work ICO₂N provides technical, economic, policy and other essential guidance on how CCS can best be implemented efficiently over the next decade.