CO2 Capture Cost Calculator
This calculator estimates the annual cost of capturing CO2 from a point-source emissions stream -- the first and usually largest cost component of a full carbon capture and storage (CCS) project. It takes a facility's annual CO2 emissions before capture, a capture rate, and a capture cost per ton, then reports the annual CO2 captured and the total annual capture cost. It pairs naturally with our planned CO2 Transport Cost Calculator and CO2 Storage/Sequestration Cost Calculator for the downstream pieces of the CCS cost chain, and our planned 45Q Tax Credit Calculator for the U.S. tax credit that often makes these projects economic.
The facility's total annual CO2 emissions from the flue gas stream targeted for capture.
90% is a commonly cited capture rate target for post-combustion capture systems, though real projects range from roughly 85-95%+.
Point-source capture from concentrated industrial or power plant flue gas commonly runs $52-150/ton depending on CO2 concentration, technology, and facility type -- much cheaper than direct air capture, since flue gas CO2 is far more concentrated than ambient air.
annual CO2 emissions before capture (tons/year) × (capture rate (%) ÷ 100)
annual CO2 captured (tons/year) × capture cost ($/ton)
Results update live as you type. For planning and field-check estimates — always verify against applicable standards and equipment ratings.
How we calculate this →Capture cost varies enormously by CO2 concentration in the source stream -- capturing CO2 from a concentrated industrial process (like ethanol fermentation or natural gas processing) can cost under $30/ton, while capturing from a more dilute power plant flue gas commonly runs $52-150/ton, and pulling CO2 from ambient air (direct air capture) can cost $150-600+/ton. This example -- 900,000 tons captured annually at $60/ton for $54 million a year -- sits in the middle of the point-source range, illustrating why source concentration is one of the biggest levers in CCS project economics before transport or storage costs are even added.
How CO2 capture cost is calculated
This calculator estimates the annual cost of capturing CO2 from a point-source emissions stream by applying a capture rate to the facility's pre-capture emissions and multiplying the captured tonnage by a cost per ton. Two quantities tie the calculation together.
Annual CO2 Captured (tons/year) = Annual CO2 Emissions Before Capture (tons/year) × (Capture Rate (%) ÷ 100). The capture rate is the share of CO2 in the targeted flue gas stream that the capture system actually removes; multiplying the facility's total annual emissions by that share gives the tonnage captured each year. At the defaults (1,000,000 tons/year and 90% capture rate), that is 1,000,000 × 0.90 = 900,000 tons/year.
Total Annual Capture Cost ($/year) = Annual CO2 Captured (tons/year) × Capture Cost ($/ton). Multiplying the captured tonnage by the cost to capture each ton -- which covers the energy, solvents, equipment, and operating labor the capture system requires -- gives the total annual cost of running the capture plant. At the defaults (900,000 tons/year and $60/ton), that is 900,000 × $60 = $54,000,000/year.
Two notes on the model. First, the capture cost per ton is the single most consequential input, and it varies enormously by source: capturing CO2 from a concentrated stream like ethanol fermentation or natural gas processing can cost under $30/ton, while post-combustion capture from dilute power plant flue gas commonly runs $52-150/ton, and direct air capture from ambient air can cost $150-600+/ton -- so the editable field lets you substitute a source-specific figure. Second, this calculator covers capture cost only; pipeline transport and permanent storage or utilization are separate cost components addressed by the CO2 Transport Cost Calculator and CO2 Storage/Sequestration Cost Calculator, and the 45Q Tax Credit Calculator addresses the U.S. tax credit that often offsets much of the capture cost. Data sources: Point-source CO2 capture cost ranges from DOE (Department of Energy), NETL (National Energy Technology Laboratory), and IEA (International Energy Agency) CCS technology assessments; amine-based post-combustion capture cost benchmarks from NETL and industry case studies; capture rate targets and concentration-driven cost variation from IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and IEAGHG technical reports; direct air capture cost ranges from DOE and NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) DAC technology assessments. Verification: with defaults (1,000,000 tons/year, 90% capture rate, $60/ton), Annual CO2 Captured = 900,000 tons/year, Total Annual Capture Cost = $54,000,000/year.