As a neutral research facility, the National Carbon Capture Center is working to accelerate the commercialization of advanced technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Since our creation by the U.S. Department of Energy in 2009, the center has been a cornerstone of U.S. innovation in the research and development of cost-effective, technically viable carbon management technologies.

Managed and operated by Southern Company, the National Carbon Capture Center has worked with over 30 government, university and research organizations from seven countries. As a unique test bed for third-party developers, we bridge the gap between laboratory research and large-scale demonstrations. Our state-of-the-art facilities provide realistic industrial operating conditions and the infrastructure to evaluate promising technologies for scale-up and future commercial deployment.

Our scope includes post-combustion carbon capture for point sources such as natural gas power generation, carbon utilization and conversion, and negative-emission technologies such as direct air capture.

Our Results

The National Carbon Capture Center has completed more than 145,000 hours of technology testing for carbon capture innovators, leading to significant scale-ups, process enhancements and technological breakthroughs. Based on pilot testing and development of more than 70 technologies, the center has already reduced the projected cost of carbon capture from fossil-based power generation by more than 40%.

Our History

The National Carbon Capture Center is located in Wilsonville, Alabama, near the original site of the former Power Systems Development Facility, which was established by DOE in 1995. Testing at the original facilities supported the development of advanced gasification and pre-combustion carbon capture technologies. Building on this foundation, work today at the National Carbon Capture Center focuses entirely on post-combustion carbon capture, as well as carbon utilization/conversion and direct air capture. Read about our first 10 Years of Technology Development.