Saipem launches "most sustainable solution" for CO2 capture

Italy's Saipem announced on September 7 what it described as the most sustainable solution for CO2 capture that makes use of an enzyme that naturally occurs in living organisms.

Bluenzyme is "an innovative plug-and-play solution," Saipem said, which is more sustainable than conventional methods, with a nominal capture capacity of 200 tonnes of CO₂/day. It employs a non-toxic, non-volatile solvent that relies on a carbonic anhydrase enzyme, a highly potent natural catalyst for CO₂ capture that is found in the human body and all living organisms.

Not only is this method more sustainable but also more cost-effective than traditional methods, Saipem said, as it can harness recoverable heat from low-temperature sources.

"We are proud to be able to offer our customers the Bluenzyme^TM200 solution, an off-the-shelf product based on proprietary technology that is the result of our relentless commitment to research and development of increasingly flexible, efficient and sustainable solutions," Saipem's CCO Fabrizio Botta said. "Bluenzyme^TM200 represents a concrete solution to allow companies to reach their ESG goals and move closer to the target of a zero-carbon future that Saipem is striving to achieve."

The method can be used in various industrial sectors including oil and gas, petrochemicals, energy and cement production.