National Carbon Capture Center

10/24/2025

On October 15-16, 2025, Southern Company hosted the 68th IEAGHG Executive Committee meeting in , followed by a tour of the National Carbon Capture Centre (NCCC). https://ieaghg.org/news/national-carbon-capture-centre/

Since 2009, NCCC has been a leading research facility for CO2 management, co-founding the International Test Centre Network (ITCN) and testing over 80 technologies to reduce CO2 emissions. With 160,000+ hours of testing and multiple projects underway, NCCC is at the forefront of carbon capture innovation. The recent tour showcased significant advancements in this crucial field.

Curious to learn more about NCCC's role in carbon management? Check out our blog for insights and highlights!

10/20/2025

We were excited to welcome global leaders in carbon management to Birmingham, Alabama for the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme 68th Executive Committee Meeting. The two-day event, sponsored by Southern Company, brought together experts from around the world to talk about the future of carbon capture, use and storage.

As part of the meeting, guests toured the National Carbon Capture Center and saw how teamwork and fresh ideas are helping move carbon capture technologies forward. The group also discussed important topics, looked at recent study results and set new goals for future research.

We’re proud to share the work happening at our facility and grateful for the chance to connect with so many dedicated people. Thanks to IEAGHG and all ExCo members for including us in your agenda. Working together and sharing what we learn is key as we tackle today’s energy challenges!

08/14/2025

We’re proud to be featured at the 2025 Southern Company Technical Conference as part of a full lineup from the Southern Company R&D team. Our Principal Engineer John Carroll presented on carbon management, highlighting how the NCCC is advancing technologies that support a reliable, robust and secure energy future.

John’s presentation explored a range of innovative approaches for carbon capture, conversion, and removal—including advanced solvents, membranes, solid sorbents, and direct air capture. He emphasized the importance of scalable solutions and strategic partnerships in accelerating clean energy deployment.

08/13/2025

We had the honor of joining the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pilot Project Cohort Review Meeting in Washington, D.C. — a powerful gathering focused on the future of energy innovation.

💡 Many of the projects showcased were developed and scaled through testing right here at the NCCC — including work by the National Energy Technology Laboratory, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), MTR Carbon Capture, and SRI International. It’s a proud reminder of our role in helping turn bold ideas into real-world solutions.

👷‍♂️ Southern Companys Principal Engineer John Carroll shared updates on the latest tech being tested at the NCCC — including promising advances in carbon capture and conversion. These efforts are all about driving energy independence, security, and growth.

🤝 Collaboration and knowledge sharing are key to making progress. We’re proud to work alongside the DOE and our partners to help bring these technologies closer to deployment — strengthening our energy future and supporting U.S. leadership in innovation.

07/31/2025

We’re excited to share that the National Carbon Capture Center is featured in the Global CCS Institute’s new “State of the Art: CCS Technologies 2025” report!

This global roundup of leading carbon capture technologies includes several that have been tested and scaled up at the NCCC - including FrostCC by Carbon America, the Mixed-Salt Process by Baker Hughes and SRI, ICE-31 by ION Clean Energy, and UNO MK 3 by KC8 Capture Technologies.

These technologies are great examples of how public-private collaboration and real-world testing can accelerate innovation and support the continued use of America’s abundant energy resources. Congratulations to all the developers featured in the report.

07/09/2025

We’re proud to announce the upcoming launch of pilot-scale testing for KC8 Capture Technologies’ innovative UNOGAS system—featuring the UNO MK3 solvent—at the National Carbon Capture Center.

This next-generation process is designed to capture up to 95% of CO₂ emissions from industrial sources like natural gas and cement plants. It offers a more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional methods.

With support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, the system will be tested under real-world conditions—helping accelerate its path toward commercial deployment.

📖 Learn how this project is shaping the future of carbon capture in the comments.

07/02/2025

This Week at the National Carbon Capture Center: We were honored to welcome guests from J-POWER, Japan's largest electric utility, and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) for a meaningful exchange on our history and expertise in carbon capture and conversion technologies.

Their visit highlights our shared dedication to advancing innovative solutions that support a more resilient, robust, and sustainable energy future. We’re excited about the continued collaboration ahead as we work together to accelerate progress in carbon management technologies.

06/26/2025

We were thrilled to recently host the Alabama Power Environmental Affairs team at the National Carbon Capture Center. The visit kicked off with an overview of our mission as a world class carbon management test center, then a tour our facility to see firsthand the carbon capture, conversion and removal technologies being evaluated right here in Alabama. We appreciate their time and interest!

05/19/2025

Last week, we had the pleasure of hosting an engaging NCCC Project Review and Industrial Advisory Committee Meeting—the first of two such gatherings this year. Thank you to our project managers from the U.S. Department of Energy and our valued private industry sponsors for their support and collaboration.

A special shoutout to the technology developers who shared insights into their technologies and the results of recent testing campaigns: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute/ University at Buffalo, National Energy Technology Laboratory, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, KC8 Capture Technologies, CORMETECH, and SRI International.

These biannual meetings and site visits are crucial for fostering innovation, strengthening partnerships and advancing carbon management technologies from the lab to real-world deployment. Thank you to everyone who made this event a success!

01/31/2025

We're excited to share that the National Carbon Capture Center will host engineering-scale testing of SRI's innovative mixed salt process (MSP) technology in early 2025. This promising advancement in carbon capture - supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Baker Hughes and the National Energy Technology Laboratory - captures CO₂ from flue gases and produces pure, pressurized CO₂ for storage or industrial use.

This project is a team effort with contributions from Baker Hughes, the NCCC, EPIC Systems, Trimeric Corporation, and OLI Systems, Inc. We look forward to the insights this testing will bring to the future of carbon capture and storage.

The National Carbon Capture Center is set to host testing of SRI’s promising new mixed salt carbon capture technology.

01/10/2025

We're pleased to share that Dr. Richard A. Esposito, Southern Company Program Manager, Geosciences and Carbon Management, recently spoke at the University of Georgia's Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Summit. As a leading expert in geological carbon sequestration, Dr. Esposito provided valuable insights into the work of the National Carbon Capture Center and explored CCS deployment opportunities in the Southeast. The summit united leaders from industry, academia and government to discuss the critical role of carbon capture in addressing climate change. A big thank you to UGA's Department of Geology, Southern States Energy Board, Georgia Power and Southern Company for sponsoring this impactful event. Together, we are making strides toward a net-zero future.

12/10/2024

We are excited to share how our collaboration with the National Energy Technology Laboratory, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and CarbonBuilt is making strides in decarbonizing the U.S. concrete industry.

In 2021, we conducted our first CO2 utilization test, producing ultra-low-carbon concrete using the innovative CarbonBuilt process. This technology reduced the embodied carbon intensity of concrete masonry by over 50%. The test proved that CarbonBuilt’s technology could produce performance-equivalent, functional replacements for traditional concrete products. Recently, we supported UCLA's research team as they expanded their testing at the NCCC to include new use cases aiming to improve concrete carbonation efficiency and broaden the product range.

Our participation in this work underscores the role of research, development, and real-world testing in bringing sustainable solutions to market.

Read more about the NETL-managed project here: https://netl.doe.gov/node/14402