Milestone reflects more than 15 years of advancing carbon capture technologies through real-world testing.
The National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC) has reached a major milestone: more than 175,000 hours of technology testing completed in support of the development of carbon capture solutions for power generation and industrial applications.
Managed and operated by Southern Company for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the NCCC provides technology developers with something difficult to replicate in a laboratory — the opportunity to test carbon capture technologies under actual operating conditions over extended periods of time.
Since opening in 2009, the NCCC has collaborated with more than 60 organizations across government, industry, universities and research institutions representing seven countries. Together, they have evaluated more than 90 technologies, including advanced solvents, sorbents, membranes, sensors and other systems designed to improve carbon capture performance, reliability and cost-efficiency.
“Reaching 175,000 testing hours is significant because every hour represents lessons learned about how these technologies perform outside the laboratory,” said John Northington, director of the National Carbon Capture Center. “Our role is to provide a place where developers can gather the operational data and experience needed to better understand what works, what needs improvement and what may be ready for larger-scale testing or deployment.”
Unlike laboratory-scale research, the NCCC allows technologies to operate continuously under conditions that more closely reflect the demands of commercial facilities. That long-duration testing helps researchers identify operational challenges, evaluate reliability and better understand how systems integrate into existing infrastructure. The center continues to provide critical testing and scale-up capabilities for carbon capture technologies as new solutions emerge.
NCCC at a Glance
- 175,000+ technology testing hours
- 90+ technologies evaluated
- 15+ technologies advanced toward larger-scale deployment
- 40%+ reduction in projected carbon capture costs
- 60+ collaborating organizations from seven countries
The center’s work has already produced measurable results. Research conducted through the NCCC has helped reduce projected carbon capture costs by more than 40% and supported the advancement of more than 15 technologies toward larger-scale testing and potential deployment.
Northington said the milestone is as much about collaboration as it is about testing hours.
“Over the years, we’ve built strong partnerships with DOE, technology developers, research organizations and industry leaders who are all working toward the same goal of advancing practical solutions,” he said. “The 175,000-hour milestone reflects not only the dedication of our team, but also the continued commitment of organizations across the industry to developing and evaluating carbon capture technologies.”