economic viability for CO2 capture using membrane processes. Recent studies have demonstrated that multi-stage CO2 capture/separation processes using membranes can be economically competitive with older and more common technologies such as amine-based absorption. Currently, both membrane and amine-based absorption processes can be designed to yield a 90% CO2 capture rate. For carbon capture at an average 600 MW coal-fired power plant, the cost of CO2 capture using amine-based absorption is in the $40–100 per ton of CO2 range, while the cost of CO2 capture using current membrane technology (including current process design schemes) is about $23 per ton of CO2. Additionally, running an amine-based absorption process at an average 600 MW coal-fired power plant consumes about 30% of the energy generated by the power plant, while running a membrane process requires about 16% of the energy generated. CO2 transport (e.g. to geologic sequestration sites, or to be used for EOR) costs about $2–5 per ton of CO2. This cost is the same for all types of CO2 capture/separation processes such as membrane separation and absorption. In terms of dollars per ton of captured CO2, the least expensive membrane processes being studied at this time are multi-step counter-current flow/sweep processes. See also References Separation processes Gas technologies Membrane technology Industrial gases de:Gastrennung#Membranverfahren