OMV has introduced a new approach to carbon capture, aiming to make the process more energy efficient and adaptable for industrial use. The company’s innovation focuses on the desorption step of carbon capture, which traditionally requires significant heat and energy to separate CO2 from liquid solvents.
Stefan Grottendorfer, Head of New Energy Technology at OMV, explained the standard method: “Normally, it’s a solvent wash where gas meets liquid that absorbs CO2. But desorption requires heating up of the solvent. That’s the energy challenge we targeted.” He added, “The solvent desorption technology is proven, but the required heating and cooling demand is energy-intensive.”
For years, high energy consumption during this phase was seen as unavoidable. However, Grottendorfer emphasized the need for change: “If we want to accelerate carbon capture to scale, especially for circular applications like creating synthetic fuels, this step has to be rethought.”
To address this issue, OMV assembled a small team with diverse backgrounds. Grottendorfer described their work: “It was a highly collaborative effort. People with very different backgrounds working together, iterating quickly, and focusing on solving practical problems rather than following rigid structures.”
The team developed CoolSwingCC, a proprietary low-temperature and fully electrified desorption technology. Their goal was to reduce the temperature needed for CO2 removal from over 100 degrees Celsius to about 60 degrees Celsius. According to OMV’s data, CoolSwingCC enables more than 50% energy savings in the desorption step compared to conventional systems using monoethanolamine-based thermal processes.
Grottendorfer said: “This is not about inventing carbon capture from scratch. It’s about making what already exists more efficient, more sustainable, and more compatible with an electrified energy system.”
The Carbon Capture Innovation Center (CCIC) was established as a pilot facility capable of capturing up to 1,000 tons of CO2 annually. Designed as a modular containerized system, it can be transported and deployed at various industrial sites for testing under real-world conditions.
“It’s fully mobile and containerized. Load it on a truck, maneuver it easily to any industrial site or project premises. That’s CCIC’s real power for rapid deployment and testing,” said Grottendorfer.
He further noted: “The Innovation Center is a tool. It enables us to de-risk the technology, understand how it behaves in different settings, and accelerate learning before scaling up.”
Unlike most existing carbon capture setups—which are either laboratory-scale or large fixed installations—the CCIC offers flexibility by allowing field tests across multiple locations without requiring early commitment to full-scale implementation.
OMV sees potential applications for its technology in ongoing carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) projects because it can be retrofitted into existing operations without major redesigns. The company also highlights its relevance in developing synthetic fuels that rely on captured carbon as an input material.
Looking ahead, OMV plans a modular scaling strategy—deploying multiple units rather than enlarging individual ones—to provide flexible solutions tailored for specific sites’ needs while reducing installation time and investment risk.
Grottendorfer concluded: “This is the strength of the Carbon Capture Innovation Center and the CoolSwingCC technology. With innovations like these, we are unlocking new value streams for the business.”
