Carbon Capture & CO₂ Compression Equipment worked example

Capture Cost per Ton at 58% cost scope included: a worked example

Suppose cost scope included falls to 58%. This page works the full calculation at that level so you can see exactly which result moves and by how much. Estimate total capture operating cost and implied cost per tonne CO₂ for a project period, skid, site, or capture train.

The inputs for this scenario

  • CO₂ captured in period: 100 t CO₂ (held at the documented default)
  • Variable capture cost: 45 $ / t CO₂ (held at the documented default)
  • Cost scope included: 58 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 80)
  • Fixed capture cost: 250 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Variable capture cost subtotal = CO₂ captured in period × variable capture cost × cost scope included.
  • Total capture cost works out to 2,860 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Capture cost per tonne CO₂ works out to 28.6 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Variable capture cost subtotal works out to 2,610 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed capture cost works out to 250 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where cost scope included sits at 80% and the headline result is 3,850 $, this scenario comes in 25.71% below the baseline at 2,860 $.
  • It computes total capture cost and the resulting cost per tonne by scaling variable cost by captured volume and the included cost scope, then adding fixed capture cost. When the numbers land here, the stressed input is the lever to work; the walkthrough above shows exactly how much each output recovers as it climbs back toward the baseline.

Results at a glance

  • Total capture cost: 2,860 $ (headline result)
  • Capture cost per tonne CO₂: 28.6 $ / piece
  • Variable capture cost subtotal: 2,610 $
  • Fixed capture cost: 250 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Capture Cost per Ton calculator, set cost scope included to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.