Point-source carbon capture and amine scrubbing alternatives in 2026: overview
Point-source carbon capture separates CO₂ from exhaust at stationary facilities before it reaches the atmosphere. Alternatives to conventional amine scrubbing include solid sorbents, membranes, calcium looping, non-amine solvents, cryogenic separation and electrochemical systems. Their appeal is not a single superior capture route: each may suit different exhaust streams or reduce regeneration heat, while practical performance depends on dilute CO₂, water and contaminants, energy integration, equipment footprint and material lifetime. Humidity tolerance and regeneration energy remain central design constraints; capture materials must retain performance through repeated cycles, not just show strong initial uptake.
Recent work is addressing these constraints with new materials and integrated processes. In September 2026, Tongji University researchers reported porous coordination polymers designed to tolerate moisture in flue gas. In August 2026, Peking University and Wuhan University described a methanol-assisted zero-gap electrolyzer for integrated flue-gas capture and use. Veolia and Sheffield City Council also reported a successful trial of non-amine capture at the Sheffield Energy Recovery Facility in August 2026. Scale-up depends on reliable operation in real exhaust, alongside lower regeneration demand and manageable process complexity.
- 1Humidity shapes materials: Research on moisture-tolerant porous materials targets a key weakness of solid adsorbents: water in real flue gas can compete with CO₂ and reduce capture performance.
- 2Capture meets conversion: Electrochemical systems are moving toward integrated capture and CO₂ use, but energy demand, system complexity and long-term stability still constrain deployment.
- 3Pilots test alternatives: Non-amine demonstrations are bringing alternative sorbents into industrial settings, where reliable operation on actual exhaust matters more than lab-scale uptake alone.
Top organizations working on point-source carbon capture and amine scrubbing alternatives
Ranked by Linknovate activity score · last 24 monthsThe activity score adds up the relevance of every patent, publication, grant and news item linking an organization to point-source carbon capture and amine scrubbing alternatives. Showing 7 of 626 organizations.
| # | Organization | Approach | Signals (24 mo) | Momentum | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
Tsinghua University
Research · China |
Non-amine liquid solvents | PUB 43 · NEWS 11 | +0% | Recently, researchers associated with the university studied integrated capture and electroconversion of dilute flue-gas CO₂; its work also examines water-lean ionic-liquid solvents and MgO-based solid capture materials. |
| 2 | 
ExxonMobil
Corporate · United States |
General | PAT 2 · PUB 4 NEWS 78 |
+0% | Its patent describes oxygen-fired operation of an FCC catalyst regenerator with flue-gas recycle and CO₂ capture, an approach to point-source emissions distinct from solvent scrubbing. |
| 3 | 
Xi'an Jiaotong University
Research · China |
Calcium looping and carbonation | PUB 47 | -38% | Research at the university models calcium-looping capture integrated with hydrogen production and evaluates capture-and-conversion processes for dilute flue gas. |
| 4 | 
Zhejiang University
Research · China |
Solid sorbent adsorption | PAT 1 · PUB 38 NEWS 3 |
+0% | Recently, researchers reported work on amine-functionalized graphite, integrated-amine solid adsorbents, and hydrophobic porous ionic liquids for capturing CO₂ from humid flue gas. |
| 5 | Solid sorbent adsorption | PUB 41 · NEWS 6 | -62% | The university studies flue-gas capture using N-doped carbon–silica adsorbents and has also investigated inorganic-ammonia capture and associated pilot testing. | |
| 6 | 1U
12579Southeast University
Research |
Solid sorbent adsorption | PUB 40 | +0% | Recently, researchers developed an approach for preparing nitrogen-rich porous carbon from crayfish-shell waste for flue-gas CO₂ adsorption; related work examines biphasic solvents and capture-process integration. |
| 7 | 
Chinese Academy of Sciences CAS
Research · China |
Solid sorbent adsorption | PUB 37 · NEWS 2 | +190% | Recently, researchers studied zeolite A for CO₂ separation from flue gas and other gas streams. The academy’s work also includes MgO capture materials and integrated capture-and-conversion systems. |
| 8 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
| 9 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
| 10 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
Startups to watch and leading research centers
Startups to watch 5 total
CarbonquestUnited StatesCarbonQuest supplies distributed on-site capture systems for buildings and industrial customers, and announced its first customer in the food-and-beverage sector.
Susteon Inc.United StatesSusteon has patented aqueous CO₂-capture solvents containing amines; its cited solvent compositions therefore address conventional amine scrubbing rather than an amine-free alternative.- ··Hidden startupCountryAvailable to registered users, with funding and founding year.
- ··Hidden startupCountryAvailable to registered users, with funding and founding year.
Leading research institutions 528 total
- Tsinghua UniversityChinaRecently, researchers associated with the university studied integrated capture and electroconversion of dilute flue-gas CO₂; its work also examines water-lean ionic-liquid solvents and MgO-based solid capture materials.
- Xi'an Jiaotong UniversityChinaResearch at the university models calcium-looping capture integrated with hydrogen production and evaluates capture-and-conversion processes for dilute flue gas.
- Zhejiang UniversityChinaRecently, researchers reported work on amine-functionalized graphite, integrated-amine solid adsorbents, and hydrophobic porous ionic liquids for capturing CO₂ from humid flue gas.
- ··Hidden research institutionCountryAvailable to registered users, with their key researchers.
- ··Hidden research institutionCountryAvailable to registered users, with their key researchers.
Where point-source carbon capture and amine scrubbing alternatives innovation happens
Share of documents with at least one organization from each country.
Open the interactive map with all 626 organizationsMain technical approaches
Last 24 months| Approach | What it is | Documents | Leading organizations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-amine liquid solvents | Non-amine liquid solvents absorb CO₂ into alternative liquids, avoiding some amine-specific degradation concerns but still requiring solvent management and energy for regeneration. | 119 |
Zhejiang University, Eickmeyer & Associates Inc., Tsinghua University |
| Solid sorbent adsorption | Solid sorbents capture CO₂ on porous surfaces and can simplify handling, but moisture tolerance, material stability and regeneration remain challenges. | 376 |
Fuzhou University, Tsinghua University, Honeywell |
| Membrane separation | Membranes separate gases through selective transport, with performance constrained by the trade-off between CO₂ selectivity, permeability and pressure requirements. | 57 |
Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Nature Sustainability, Tianjin University |
| Calcium looping and carbonation | Calcium looping captures CO₂ through reversible carbonation of calcium-based solids, but high-temperature operation and sorbent durability complicate integration. | 417 |
Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 12579Southeast University |
| Cryogenic separation | Cryogenic separation cools gas streams to separate CO₂, offering a physical route whose energy demand can limit use on dilute exhaust. | 28 |
The Max Planck Institute, Research Report Uk, Honeywell |
| Electrochemical capture | Electrochemical capture uses applied electrical potential to bind and release CO₂, but cell complexity, stability and access to low-carbon power shape its economics. | 31 |
European Commission, Technical University of Denmark, Direct Air Capture LLC |
Emerging trends
Last 12 months vs previous 36 monthsTerms whose frequency in the last 12 months grew the most compared with the previous 36 months.
Funding and investment
Recent funding rounds
Recorded funding metrics list $104,515,674 across 64 grants since 2020 and $15,248,226,085 across 27 funding rounds. The round total includes broad project-finance entries, so it should not be read as capital committed solely to alternative capture technologies.
Patent landscape
Top patent holders · last 24 monthsRecent developments
Latest news, duplicates removed- Sep 2026Record-breaking carbon capture plant to snatch 800K tons of CO2 a year Norwegian chemical company Yara has inaugurated the largest industrial carbon capture facility in all of Europe this week. Set up at the company's…New Atlas - New Technology & Science News
- Aug 2026Mitico Inc said it had successfully completed a demonstration project at a refinery in Thailand for its carbon capture system, which deploys a proprietary potassium-based chemical sorbent through custom designs. The…Rigzone.com: Latest News Headlines
- Aug 2026Resource management company Veolia and Sheffield City Council announce successful trial of ‘first of its kind’ carbon capture technology. The trial at the Sheffield Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) tested non-amine carbon…Circular Online
- Aug 2026Newswise — A team of international researchers has found a way to turn carbon dioxide from dirty factory emissions directly into fuel without first cleaning or purifying the gas. The breakthrough, published in Nature…Newswise: SciNews
- Month 20XXHidden developmentAvailable to registered users with alerts enabled.
Frequently asked questions about point-source carbon capture and amine scrubbing alternatives
What companies are working on point-source carbon capture and amine scrubbing alternatives?
ExxonMobil, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Honeywell, Air Products and Chemicals Inc, and Carbonquest are among the companies active in the wider capture field. Their work spans different system types: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries offers compact capture systems, while Carbonquest supplies distributed on-site systems. The listed activity also includes research organizations, so company presence does not mean each develops an amine-free route.
Which universities and research centers lead point-source carbon capture and amine scrubbing alternatives research?
Tsinghua University, Xi'an Jiaotong University and Zhejiang University are prominent research organizations in the recorded activity. Tsinghua studies capture and electroconversion, ionic-liquid solvents and MgO materials; Xi'an Jiaotong researches calcium looping; and Zhejiang works on solid adsorbents and porous ionic liquids. Their recent work reflects different technical routes rather than a single shared process.
How much funding has point-source carbon capture and amine scrubbing alternatives received?
Recorded metrics list $104,515,674 across 64 grants since 2020 and $15,248,226,085 across 27 funding rounds. These totals should be treated as broad indicators, not as verified investment exclusively for amine-scrubbing alternatives: the rounds include project and infrastructure finance, and the funding data may cover organizations with wider activities.
Who holds the most point-source carbon capture and amine scrubbing alternatives patents?
Air Products and Chemicals Inc and Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute lead the listed patent holders with 6 patents each. UOP LLC, Climeworks AG and Carbonquest have 5 each. These counts identify holders in the recorded topic data; they do not establish that every patent covers an amine-free point-source process.
Is point-source carbon capture and amine scrubbing alternatives patent activity growing?
The recorded 24-month window contains 130 patents, and the reported patent growth figure is -53.9%. Publication activity moved in the opposite direction: 924 publications appeared in the last year, with reported growth of 15.1%. This split suggests that recent technical exploration is more visible in research publications than in patenting activity.
How mature is point-source carbon capture and amine scrubbing alternatives?
The field spans early-stage materials research and industrial trials, rather than one uniform level of maturity. Veolia and Sheffield City Council reported a successful non-amine technology trial in August 2026, while Mitico reported a refinery demonstration of its potassium-based sorbent in August 2026. These events show testing beyond the laboratory, but do not establish broad commercial deployment.
What are the latest developments in point-source carbon capture and amine scrubbing alternatives?
Recent work includes moisture-tolerant porous coordination polymers from Tongji University researchers in September 2026 and a methanol-assisted, zero-gap electrochemical system from Peking University and Wuhan University in August 2026. Other studies are developing solid adsorbents from waste materials and integrated reactive-amine solids. Across these routes, stability in humid exhaust and practical regeneration remain important technical tests.
What are the main approaches in point-source carbon capture and amine scrubbing alternatives and how do they differ?
The main approaches are non-amine liquid solvents, solid sorbent adsorption, membrane separation, calcium looping, cryogenic separation and electrochemical capture. They differ in how they separate or bind CO₂ and in the energy and equipment they require. Solid materials face moisture and regeneration challenges; membranes balance selectivity and permeability; and looping processes must manage high-temperature operation and sorbent durability.
Which countries lead point-source carbon capture and amine scrubbing alternatives?
The United States leads the listed country totals with 4,225 documents, followed by China with 2,674 and the United Kingdom with 1,630. Germany has 1,005 and Canada has 917. These counts reflect topic-related documents, not a direct measure of deployed capture capacity or commercial leadership.
What are the applications of point-source carbon capture and amine scrubbing alternatives?
Power generation is the largest listed application, with 1,967 documents and 121 patents in the window. Other applications include refining and petrochemicals, fertilizer and chemicals, cement and lime, waste-to-energy, and iron and steel. Recent work also addresses capture from industrial off-gas, where gas composition and moisture can affect process selection.