CO2 capture, storage and recovery

There is a scientific consensus within the Inter-governmental panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on the fact that "it is very likely (>90%)" that global warming is due to human activity and that it is "over 90% likely that the continued emissions of greenhouse gases at their current or higher level would result in climate changes more extreme than those already identified."

Aware of the necessity to comply with the objectives of the Kyoto protocol and managing roughly 100,000 sites throughout the world, including combustion facilities and Non-Hazardous Waste Landfills, Veolia Environnement has for several years been conducting research on the reduction of its greenhouse gas emissions (estimated at 1/1,000th of worldwide emissions).

In addition to improving the energy efficiency of the facilities and developing renewable sources of energy, research projects aim at capturing, transporting, storing and/or recovering greenhouse gases. These projects have focused on methane for several years (see data sheet no. 24) and have recently extended to CO2.

Greenhouse gas limitation

Aimed at eliminating CO2 emissions, our research on CO2 capture, storage and recovery contributes by definition to fighting against climate change.

Our research is based on the multiple expertise of all Veolia Environnement components.

It is aimed at:

• finding CO2 capture solutions adapted to the size of the facilities managed by the Group;
• putting in place CO2 recovery processes compatible with their widespread geographical location;
• examining sustainable storage solutions.

2 PILOT PROGRAMS WERE LAUNCHED IN 2007, RELATING TO THE FOLLOWING SOLUTIONS:

• CO2 capture-transport-industrial recovery;
• CO2 capture-transport-geological storage.