For more than 15 years, the National Carbon Capture Center has helped developers, sponsors and public-sector partners advance carbon capture technologies from concept toward commercial readiness. Established by the U.S. Department of Energy in 2009 and managed by Southern Company, the NCCC evaluates point-source carbon capture technologies — systems that capture CO₂ directly from power plants and industrial facilities.
What We Do
The NCCC hosts focused test campaigns that show how a technology actually works: how well it performs, how reliably it runs, how safely it operates and how it integrates with the systems around it. Developers and stakeholders leave with clear, defensible data that supports confident engineering and investment decisions.
Why It Matters
Testing in real-world conditions reveals issues early — before late-stage demonstrations, where fixes cost more and take longer. That operational learning helps stakeholders judge technology progress on evidence, not projections.
Where We Are
The NCCC is located at Alabama Power’s Plant Gaston in Wilsonville, Alabama. The site gives developers access to power-plant flue gas and industrial operating conditions that are difficult to replicate in a typical research facility.
Our Track Record
- 175,000+ hours of testing
- 90+ technologies evaluated
- 40%+ reduction in projected capture costs
- 15+ technologies advanced to front-end engineering design (FEED) and commercial-scale applications