Linde carbon capture project to receive major R&D grant by U.S. Department of Energy

Munich, 17 August 2011 – The U.S. Department of Energy has selected technology group The Linde Group to receive USD 15 million for the advancement of carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture technologies. Linde’s pilot plant, to be built in Wilsonville, AL, is targeted to be operational by early 2014. The facility will test novel CO₂ scrubbing solutions to reduce the energy consumption and costs of advanced carbon capture and separation systems for coal-fired power plants.

“Advanced CO₂ capture for power plants is a critical element in achieving global greenhouse gas emission reduction targets,” said Dr Andreas Opfermann, head of Linde’s Clean Energy and Innovation Management unit. “As a leader in this field, we are extremely proud that the DoE recognises our R&D efforts in this area, as especially in North America we see a growing need for efficient 'clean coal' solutions. The DoE award will therefore help strengthen Linde’s position in this future-oriented sector in the US.”

The pilot plant will be designed to capture at least 90 percent of the CO₂ generated at an increase in the cost of electricity of no more than 35 percent. This would represent a significant improvement over existing technologies that can add as much as 80 percent to the cost of electricity.

The new plant will build on the extensive experience Linde gained in a comparable project in Niederaussem, Germany. Here, since 2009, the company successfully tests new CO₂ scrubbing solvents in collaboration with electricity supplier RWE and chemicals company BASF. Post-combustion capture technologies like this one offer great near-term potential for reducing CO₂ emissions because it can be added to existing power plants.

The Linde Group is a world-leading gases and engineering company with around 49,100 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. In the 2010 financial year, it achieved sales of 12.868 billion euro. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards sustainable earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. Linde is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.

For more information, see The Linde Group online at http://www.linde.com


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