Carbon Capture Use & Storage
The EU has set a target for CO2 storage injection capacity by 2030. However, it still misses the enabling policy framework needed to accelerate the development of CCS value chains.
CCS involves three different processes:
Capture
Isolating the CO2 produced by industrial processes or power generation before it’s emitted to the atmosphere.
Transportation
Moving the captured CO2 by pipeline or ship to a secure storage site.
Storage
Injecting the CO2 into carefully selected and managed naturally-formed underground
storage sites.
Proven
CCS is a proven technology and is essential to meet the Paris Agreement goals: globally, there are 30 commercially operating CCS facilities. (Global CCS institute, Global Status of CCS 2022)
Safe
The risks of leakage are extremely low, with an estimated 99% containment over 1000 years.
Where can CCS Make a difference?
Emission cuts in industrial processes where mitigation potential is high, like steel, cement/lime, chemicals, and refining
Low-carbon, flexible electricity from gas-fired power plants with CCS to complement an energy system with a growing share of variable renewables
Large-scale production of hydrogen from natural gas with CCS, providing clean energy for industry, power, transport and heating
CCS technology can be applied to decarbonize natural gas:
Pre-combustion: producing low-carbon hydrogen by reforming natural gas and storing the CO2
Post-combustion: by capturing and storing the CO2 emitted by gas processing or power plants
CCS can also enable negative emissions when combined with bioenergy (biomass or biogas combustion).
It is a cost-effective and key technology to safeguard existing industrial activity, jobs and growth while decarbonizing economic activity to meet the EU climate objectives.
