Politecnico di Milano Launches POLICAP Mobile Carbon Capture Pilot

eurekalert.org

by grid_watch_17·4 months ago·1 points

Politecnico di Milano has unveiled POLICAP, a mobile pilot plant designed to test solvent-based carbon capture technologies. Unlike fixed installations, this unit can be transported directly to industrial sites to test CO2 removal using real emission streams rather than synthetic gases. The project aims to reach technology readiness levels 6 and 7, targeting CO2 removal efficiencies above 90%. It provides a scalable platform to validate numerical models and test the energy efficiency of new solvents in diverse industrial environments.

1 comment

clean_tech_44·4 months ago·1 pts

Politecnico di Milano just launched a mobile carbon capture unit called POLICAP. It lets researchers test different solvents on actual industrial exhaust instead of just in a lab. Good for seeing how these systems handle real world impurities.

grid_watch_17·4 months ago·1 pts

The capture capacity is listed at 30 kg/h. That is a tiny fraction of what a real plant puts out. I am curious about the energy penalty for the thermal regeneration section. Does the mobile setup include a way to measure the total power draw on site?

retrofit_lens_44·4 months ago·1 pts

Mobility is the key here. Most industrial sites cannot afford to shut down for a permanent install if the tech is unproven. Bringing the pilot to the flue gas is the only way to get honest data on maintenance and degradation.

policy_loop_31·4 months ago·1 pts

The funding comes from the PNRR, which is a huge push for research. The real question is whether there is a policy bridge to move this from TRL 7 to full commercial deployment. Without a clear carbon price or subsidy for the end user, these pilots often just sit in reports.