ENGIE Laborelec tests carbon capture in pilot unit

Since the end of 2024, Knippegroen power plant has been home to a pilot carbon capture unit, set up in two containers next to the boiler house. The installation was completed in the Summer of 2025 and will remain in Ghent until at least the end of 2026.

What is carbon capture?

The term ‘carbon capture’ refers to the capture of CO₂ released by human activities, such as industrial processes. This captured CO₂ can then be reused as a feedstock, for example for the production of synthetic fuels, or can be transported to a storage location, such as under the seabed. Various technologies exist for capturing CO₂, which are at different stages of development.

What is the goal of this project?

The Knippegroen pilot project originated from the question of whether carbon capture could play a concrete role in the transition to a net-zero carbon economy in the future. After many years of research, ENGIE Laborelec is taking the next step and putting the technology into practice itself. With a pilot setup linked to a real power plant, experts can gain the necessary insights and experience to assess the role that carbon capture could play in ENGIE's decarbonization, both for its own activities and those of its industrial customers and sectors that are hard to electrify.

About the pilot unit

The innovative installation in Knippegroen uses the most advanced carbon capture technology currently available. This technology isolates CO₂ from the flue gases produced by combustion processes using chemical solvents.

Laborelec's specialists designed the pilot installation with flexibility and versatility in mind: it can capture CO₂ from flue gases with different compositions, flow rates, and CO₂ concentrations, using different types of solvents, and can be moved to another location with relative ease. 

Want to know more?

In this video, our experts discuss the project: