ABB signs 10-year extension to carbon capture education deal

ABB and Imperial College London signed a 10-year contract to continue their carbon capture technology partnership.

The dedicated carbon capture pilot plant will continue to train the net zero workforce following an extension to the deal regarding the only academic project of its kind in the world.

Simon Wynne, head of energy industries, ABB UK & Ireland, said: “Extending the partnership with Imperial College allows us to offer students practical training to prepare them for a career in industry.”

He added: “A report by EngineeringUK2 says that for the UK to meet emissions targets by 2050, there needs to be a workforce, with the right STEM backgrounds, ready to respond to the energy transition challenge.”

More than 4,500 students have had hands-on experience with ABB’s technology at the plant since it opened in 2012 at Imperial College.

Under the newly signed agreement, ABB looks to support students by equipping them with skills to run “tomorrow’s industrial processes.”

The firm aims to do this by demonstrating how the latest technology can help to optimize plant performance and safely manage emergency situations in real-life applications.

© Supplied by ABB

Yiheng Shao, a fourth year undergraduate student at Imperial College London, commented: “During my time in the carbon capture pilot plant, I have actively participated in the operation of the process, gaining a deeper understanding of the development and application of the technology.”

“This experience has also bolstered my confidence in the role of carbon capture in achieving net-zero goals.”

The collaboration between ABB and Imperial College gives the university access to some of the most advanced control and instrumentation technology available.

The plant, which is spread over four floors, uses ABB Ability System 800xA for distributed process control and over 250 instruments, measuring temperature, pressure, carbon dioxide and flow.