Working together to Capture carbon emissions
AURORA Partners
The AURORA consortium involves 12 partners from six European countries (Norway, United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Italy, and Greece) from industry, research, and academia and has considerable involvement of industrial companies.
Working together
Meet Our Partners
The industrial partners are not only supporting the research but have also committed to directly investing and participating in the project’s R&D and demonstration activities, boosting the credibility of the project’s potential for accelerated decarbonisation of the industry.
Who are we?
SINTEF is the largest independent contract research organisation in Scandinavia and the 4th largest in Europe with approximately 2100 employees (70% of them are researchers). One of SINTEF's business areas participating in AURORA is SINTEF Industry, which offers high competence within materials technology, applied chemistry and applied biology. SINTEF Industry is established as one of the leading research companies covering the whole value chain of CCS including utilisation of the capture CO2. Within AURORA mainly two groups in the Department of Process Technology will participate.
What is our role in the project?
SINTEF as coordinator will manage the project and IPR (WP7), be work-package leader of WP3 (Demonstration in pilots) and be invovled in all other work-packages. Particularly the latter means being actively involved in CESAR1 modeling together with NTNU (WP1), solvent management and emission control (WP2 to WP4), in charge of the Tiller demonstration campaign (WP3), assessment of heat integration options (WP4), involved in CCUS chain assessment (WP5), together with EQQY establish a plan for dissemination and exploitation, including communication activities (WP6) among others.
Hanne Kvamsdal Project coordinator WP7 leader
Hanne.Kvamsdal@sintef.noSINTEF Sem Sælands vei 2 A Trondheim
Who are we?
NTNU is Norway's largest single university with a main profile in science and technology, offering also a variety of programmes of professional study. The Department of Chemical Engineering has more than 25 years of experience with CO2 capture covering several technologies like absorption, membranes, and adsorption. When it comes to absorption technologies, the department has substantial expertise and long experience in solvent development, characterization, and solvent stability studies, including both experimental and modeling activities.
What is our role in the project?
NTNU will lead and be heavily involved in the work package on CESAR1 modelling (WP1). Other contributions will be mainly towards activities on solvent management (WP2 and WP4), heat integration and technology assessment (WP4).
Hanna Knuutila WP1 leader
hanna.knuutila@ntnu.noHallvard F. Svendsen Team member
hallvard.svendsen@ntnu.noWho are we?
TotalEnergies is a multi-energy company that produces and markets fuels, natural gas and electricity. Our 100,000 employees are committed to better energy that is more affordable, more reliable, cleaner and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, our ambition is to become the responsible energy major.
What is our role in the project?
As potential end-user of the technology developed in AURORA and according to our ambition to become a major Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) technology integrator along the value chain to participate to climate change mitigation, TotalEnergies will be involved in work packages related to the simulation of the capture process and the assessment of the full CCUS chain including techno-economical and life cycle assesments. Totalenergies is leading WP5 which adresses the development of the whole CCUS chain in the two cluster regions of the project with the four end users.
Who are we?
Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, is the biggest in Europe, with over 280 degree programs (Bachelor's and Master's), 3300 professors and more than 80 PhD schools. UNIROMA1 is represented in AURORA by the Tectonics and Fluid Chemistry (TFC) Group within the Earth Science Department, which is one of the 4 Department of Excellence of Italy. The TFC group has participated in several EU projects focused directly on the geological storage of CO2 (Weyburn, Nascent, CO2ReMoVe, MOVECBM, CO2GeoNet, CGS Europe, ECO2, SiteChar, RISCS, and ENOS). Within these numerous projects and activities the team of TFCLab have combined detailed mapping of fracture network and three-dimensional modelling to estimate CO2 capacity. In AURORA the TFClab experience will be dedicated to feasibility study on the CCS full chain.
What is our role in the project?
The TFClab experience will be dedicated to feasibility study on the CCS full chain in the Mediterranean area.
Who are we?
Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM) is a joint venture among the Norwegian State (through Gassnova), Equinor, Shell and TotalEnergies to facilitate mass deployment of the post/combustion carbon capture technology worldwide. TCM is located at one of Norway’s most complex industrial facilities, Mongstad refinery (operated by Equinor) in Hordaland county. TCM stands as a valuable asset for the technology developers/vendors and project owners around the world that aimed to verify and demonstrate Carbon Capture technology. TCM is also the only amine-based CO2 capture plant, at such large scale, that operates non-proprietary campaigns and produces unique public knowledge that has been distilled into fundamental understanding of the technology. Centered around this knowledge, TCM launched Advisory Services, in 2020 and since then flagship CO2 capture projects around the world such as Longship but also individual technology buyers and project owners are coming to TCM to acquire access to key learnings that will enable them to become educated buyers and users of CO2 capture technology.
What is our role in the project?
TCM will lead work package 3.1: test campaign at the TCM facility. TCM will also be heavily involved in WP2: Preparing for demonstration in pilots, including modifications and preparations required for TCM testing. Furthermore TCM will be involved WP1 : Improved models for advanced process control and process simulations, in advisory and follow-up on different model development and validation tasks. TCM will also contribute to WP4: Technology qualification and benchmark establishment as well as the other work packages WP5 and WP6.
Koteswara Rao Putta Test campaign leader at TCM facility
koteswara.putta@tcmda.com(+47) 48 24 22 20
Who are we?
HERACLES Group, the largest producer of building materials in Greece, leads the transition to a lower carbon sector that applies the principles of the circular economy regarding the use of resources. HERACLES Group offers innovative products and sustainable solutions that meet the requirements of the modern sustainable constructions.
What is our role in the project?
HERACLES Group’ participation entails the installation and operation of a pilot CO2 capture unit in the cement plant in Agria, Volos.
Charalampos Kouris Sustainibility director
charalampos.kouris@lafarge.comHERACLES Group, D.Solomou 32 - 14123, Lykovrisi - Greece
Evi Ioannidou Head of Communication & Public Relations
evi.ioannidou@lafarge.comHERACLES Group, D.Solomou 32 - 14123, Lykovrisi - Greece +30 21028.98.498
Who are we?
slb Capturi is a dedicated carbon capture technology company with solutions, services and technologies covering the entire carbon capture utilization and storage value chain. We serve a range of industries with carbon emissions, including cement, waste-to energy, steel, oil and gas. The Advanced Carbon Capture (ACC™) process is slb Capturi’s carbon capture process that has been developed since 2005 and offered commercially since 2009.
What is our role in the project?
Leader of WP4, project coordinator within slb Capturi, involved in planning and analysing MTU operations and preparing a charter for technology qualification with the CESAR1 solvent.
Who are we?
CYBERNETICA AS is a research intensive SME located in Trondheim, Norway. Cybernetica develops tailor-made model based control systems and soft measurements. The company’s unique Nonlinear Model Predictive Control technology, Cybernetica CENIT, is innovative, yet industrially proven. All applications are based on mechanistic models and include on-line state- and parameter estimation. Cybernetica has extensive experience from industrial installations world-wide, with running applications in North-America, Europe, Asia and Oceania.
What is our role in the project?
Cybernetica will develop mechanistic process models which are tailor-made for model-based control systems (WP1) and also include methods for online state- and parameter estimation. The Nonlinear Model Predictive Controller (NMPC) for optimal control of capture plants will be designed in WP2, and the installation and testing are carried out in WP3. Based on the demonstrated results, Cybernetica will assess strategies for flexible, energy optimal and fully automated capture plant operation in WP4. Cybernetica is work package leader of WP2.
Who are we?
Euroquality is a consulting company specialised in European projects setting up and management. Since 1997, Euroquality supports technological and methodological innovation within all organisations active in R&D (SME, industries, research centres, NGOs, universities, etc.). Euroquality has supported the consortium in the setting up of the AURORA proposal.
What is our role in the project?
Euroquality will lead the work package on the communication and dissemination activities to 1) reach the greatest possible audience 2) promote Project Results across external stakeholders and the general audience 3) maximise its impacts and visibility across Europe and beyond. EQY will use its large experience to propose a tailored Dissemination and exploitation plan, including communication (D6.1) and will implement communication and dissemination activities for general audience and various target audiences (T6.3).
Solène Fovelle Project consultant
solene.fovelle@euroquality.frEUROQUALITY 39 rue Saint-Lazare 75009 Paris
Camille Michel Project consultant
solene.fovelle@euroquality.frEUROQUALITY 39 rue Saint-Lazare 75009 Paris
Who are we?
Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the fourth-oldest university in the world and is a globally diverse institution with students coming from 141 different countries. The University of Cambridge sits at the heart of one of the world’s largest technology clusters, currently home to 5,200 knowledge-intensive companies and the birthplace of 23 businesses valued at more than $1bn (£800m). Cambridge promotes the interface between academia and business, and has a global reputation for innovation.
What is our role in the project?
Cambridge will lead AURORA’s research activities on lifecycle assessment and on the commercial, social and political readiness and acceptance of industrial decarbonisation. The work will be carried out in the Engineering Department and at the Energy Policy Research Group (EPRG), which is based in Judge Business School at Cambridge. The lead Cambridge researchers on AURORA have also been involved in the leadership of the UK CCS Research Centre and have longstanding experience on European projects related to carbon capture and storage and CO2 removal.
David Reiner, Main contact
Who are we?
Umicore is a leading circular materials technology company with an extensive expertise in the fields of material science, chemistry and metallurgy. Umicore have announced the “Let’s Go For Zero” strategy in June 2021 describing our mission to use our technological know-how, scientific expertise and corporate reach to be an industry leader in sustainability. We are setting a new benchmark within our industry by driving a very ambitious objective and timing of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 in scope 1 and 2.
What is our role in the project?
Umicore will provide a Materials Recycling use-case and will contribute to Work Packages across the project.
Timothy Kerry, Main contact
Who are we?
Motor Oil Hellas (MOH) is a leading player in the sectors of crude oil refining and the marketing of petroleum products in Greece, with more than 50 years of presence. MOH owns and operates one of the largest refineries in South-eastern Europe. Looking into the future and the various sustainability-related transformation pressures, MOH acknowledged the vital necessity to adapt to changing market conditions, thus invested in one of the largest energy transition programmes in the region. This programme includesmore than 4 billion € investments by 2030 in maintenance and resilience and growth and energy transition aspects, while MOH also committed to net zero by 2050. With the participation in the AURORA project, MOH empowers the strong industry-oriented consortium towards the efforts of decarbonizing CO2-intensive industries.
What is our role in the project?
MOH will participate in on-site flue gas characterization (Task 2.1) in collaboration with SINTEF (project coordinator)as a case of a CO2-intensive industry. In addition, MOH will contribute to heat integration options evaluation (WP4), as well as full-chain CCUS assessment (WP5), providing detailed data for the development of a conceptual study as a case of a Refinery. Finally, MOH will support the dissemination and communication activities of the project within its established networks.
Vasiliki Panaretou Team member
vpanaretou@moh.grMOTOR OIL HELLAS 12A Irodou Attikou Street ZIP CODE 151 24 MAROUSSI, GREECE
Elena Koustibi Team member
ekoustibi@moh.grMOTOR OIL HELLAS 12A Irodou Attikou Street ZIP CODE 151 24 MAROUSSI, GREECE
Working together
Our Networks & Sister Projects
The AURORA project, along with its sister projects, was funded under the European Union’s Call for Proposal HORIZON-CL5-2022-D3-01, specifically targeting the topic HORIZON-CL5-2022-D3-01-15 – Decarbonising industry with CCUS. This funding opportunity aims to advance carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) technologies to support the decarbonisation of various industrial sectors. By fostering innovation and collaborative research through these projects, the EU seeks to significantly reduce industrial carbon emissions and contribute to the goal of climate neutrality by 2050.
Don't Miss Our Cluster Activities...
AURORA Project Highlights Participation in GreenDealCO2 Final Workshop
On June 18, 2024, the AURORA project participated in the final workshop of the EU project GreenDealCO2, held at Haus der Technik e.V. in Essen, Germany, and online. This engaging networking event brought together stakeholders from various EU projects focused on sustainability and decarbonization. The workshop featured insightful presentations and…
AURORA Project Featured on CEMBUREAU’s Map of Innovation Projects
We are thrilled to announce that the AURORA project, a pioneering initiative in carbon capture and utilization, has been added to CEMBUREAU\'s prestigious Map of Innovation Projects as of March 2024. This recognition underscores the significant strides AURORA is making in the field of industrial decarbonization. AURORA, funded under the…
2nd LCA to CCUS and alternative fuels workshop | co-hosted by ACCSESS and ConsenCUS projects
On Thursday 12 March, the AURORA project, represented by Stuart Scott from the University of Cambridge, participated to the 2nd LCA to CCUS and alternative fuels workshop, co-hosted by sister projects ACCSESS and ConsenCUS. The workshop, moderated by Kristin Jordal and Adriana Reyes-Lúa from SINTEF Energy Research, and Dirk Koppert…
Getting ready for our 2nd hybrid Stakeholder Forum (StF) in Cambridge!
AURORA is preparing its second Stakeholder Forum (StF) to be held in Cambridge and online (hybrid meeting) from 15-17 (GMT) in January 2024. Our StF serves to guide AURORA\'s developments and advise on next steps to drive market adoption of our capture technology. On the agenda: RWE Innovation Center (partner…
CINEA cluster event – Public perception and business models
The AURORA project is invited to participate in the CINEA cluster event on public perception and business models...
The AURORA Carbon capture project is now part of the CO2 Value Europe database!
CO2 Value Europe (CVE) data base is a non-profit association representing the Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) community in Europe. A common mission Its main activity is to promote the development and market deployment of sustainable industrial solutions that convert CO2 into valuable products, in order to contribute to the…
AURORA presented at the Trondheim CCS Conference
The bi-annual Trondheim CCS Conference series is a leading scientific