OGCI announces three investments in low emissions technologies

Announced October 27 during OGCI annual stakeholder meeting in London, UK, OGCI Climate Investments is the billion-dollar investment fund established last year by OGCI. The fund invests in “promising technologies and business models” that have the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. OGCI Climate Investments is building a network of partners and co-investors in key sectors to leverage the expertise of this global network.

The three investments we are announcing today have the potential to make a meaningful impact on greenhouse gas emissions. We look forward to working with these innovative teams to help them achieve commercial success on a global scale, said Pratima Rangarajan, CEO of OGCI Climate Investments.

OGCI also releases its third annual report, which shows the progress made towards tackling some of the industry’s biggest challenges and shares new partnership agreements that support OGCI’s ambitions.

In a joint statement, the ten CEOs who lead OGCI said: that natural gas is a “vital part of the transition” to a lower carbon future.

Our aim is to work towards near zero methane emissions from the gas value chain. We are also committed to ensuring that natural gas continues to deliver its clear climate and clean air benefit compared to coal, the group said.

OGCI is partnering with United Nations (UN) Environment and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to provide financial and technical backing for the world’s first global methane study to fill gaps in the identification and quantification of global methane emissions. This project has the potential to inform new policy and will help to identify new initiatives to reduce emissions.

Oil and gas industry leaders have a critical role to play in our efforts to take on climate change and limit the global temperature rise. We are counting on groups such as OGCI to support the needed shift in the way we produce and consume energy. Partnerships like this are extremely important. They’re not only about financial support but concrete action – because this is how success will be measured, said Erik Solheim, Executive Director of UN Environment.

OGCI is also working with Imperial College London on research that aims to provide a more accurate picture of total GHG emissions across the natural gas value chain, from well to distribution. This will identify emission hotspots that will allow OGCI to focus its efforts on areas that could bring the greatest benefits.

The organisation will continue to focus on accelerating the deployment of carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS), reducing methane emissions from the global oil and gas industry in order to maximize the climate benefits of natural gas, as well as energy efficiency in transport and the oil and gas value chain.

These initiatives are on areas where it believes it can make the most impact on GHG emissions now and remove obstacles to the development, deployment and scale-up of technologies needed to achieve long-term climate goals.

The investments announced by OGCI Climate Investments are:

• Solidia Technologies, a US-based cement and concrete production company. Their patented technology allows for the production of cement in a way that generates fewer emissions; CO2 is then used rather than water to cure the concrete. Solidia’s innovative technology has the potential to lower the carbon footprint of concrete up to 70% and water consumption by up to 80%. Companies like Solidia demonstrate how carbon dioxide can be re-used successfully from both an environmental and a commercial perspective.
• Achates Power, a company developing more efficient vehicle engines. Achates Power develops innovative high-efficiency opposed-piston engines with the potential to substantially reduce the greenhouse gas emissions produced by vehicles. With investment from OGCI Climate Investments, as part of a broader consortium alongside engine makers, Achates Power aims to accelerate its technology deployment worldwide.
• An undisclosed project that aims to design a full-scale gas power plant with carbon capture and storage, including industrial CO2 sequestration capability. OGCI Climate Investments will work with the project team on a commercially viable concept and basic engineering design that can receive government support and attract private sector investors.