EU paper calls for binding CCS targets by 2030

The UN’s climate science panel says such technology could have to account for over a fifth of the world’s carbon cuts by 2050 and the new paper, produced by consultants for the EC, says there is a “genuine and urgent” need for it in Europe.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is an experimental technology that traps emissions produced at power plants to reduce their contribution to climate change.

“An EU roadmap for CCS with binding targets for 2030 sends a clear signal of intent to members of the UNFCCC process that the EU’s CO2 ambitions will be realised, thus maintaining a leading position for the EU in the climate debate,” says the EU guideline report, seen by the Guardian.

It calls for CCS roadmaps to be developed by EU countries and for the commission to prepare a list of potential CCS storage sites.

Graeme Sweeney, chair of the European Technology Platform for Zero Emissions Power said that CCS goals had to be ambitious. “We should put something in the order of 220m tonnes of CO2 underground across the EU by 2030,” he told the Guardian. “Perhaps three quarters of that should come from the power sector and at least a quarter from industrial sources such as steel, cement and aluminium.”

Sweeney, a former CO2 adviser to Shell, also called for a “parity of policy” in public funding for CCS and proven carbon-cutting technologies such as renewables and energy efficiency.

The commission has not set binding 2030 targets for either renewables or energy savings. Some environmentalists fear that CCS could encourage fossil fuel extraction to continue unabated, locking-in future emissions, and displacing other low carbon investments.

But Simon Bennet, a CCS analyst for the International Energy Agency said that it was important to reject “unnecessary favouritism” in low carbon policies, although he stopped short of calling for equal funding for CCS.

“We see that CCS remains a critical technology if we are to achieve global climate targets,” he told the Guardian. “We think that now is a good time for the EU to reflect and bring forward policies that will give industry and EU stakeholders confidence that CCS is a valuable and investable technology for Europe.”

The UK government and some fossil fuels companies have lobbied hard for a technology-neutral approach that would allow more public money to kickstart the CCS industry.

Globally, CCS demonstration projects have fallen short of predicted results. In Europe, the commission had expected 12 large CCS plants to be working in Europe by now, but only two are so far operational – both in Norway – and just 13 exist in the world.

Most of these are associated with Enhanced Oil Recovery, a technique that pumps liquefied carbon into depleted oil and gas fields to extract the last remaining fossil fuels, before the fields are capped.

The report recommends making existing data on oil and gas fields available to enhance the CCS exploration phase.

Environmentalists welcomed a recommendation in the report for the commission to investigate the feasibility of a US-style emissions performance standard in Europe that would be compatible with Europe’s carbon trading scheme.

“The commission now has no more excuses to further delay a much needed debate on the role of this policy for power plants,” said Darek Urbaniak, a WWF energy policy officer. “This will not only prevent lock-ins of the worst polluting infrastructure but also providea clear investment signal for the decarbonisation of the power sector.”

edie timeline: CCS

Apr 2012: CCS ‘competition’ opened 
July 2012: ‘Competition’ bidding closed 
March 2013: Government announces two preferred bidders – the White Rose Project (Yorkshire) and the Peterhead Project 
February 2014: A new technology strategy aimed at turning CCS into a mainstream carbon abatement technology was launched 
February 2014: The Government announced a major investment in the world’s first gas-fired CCS facility to be constructed in Peterhead 
May 2014: A new report argued that CCS has become ‘vital’ to limiting climate change and the technology must be fast-tracked for use in UK power stations within the next 12 months 
August 2014: The Government reaffirmed its commitment to establishing a strong CCS industry in the UKwith a scoping document. 
September 2014: A survey by the UK CCS Research Centre revealed lack of public awareness is undermining UK’s efforts to use CCS technology.
November 2014: A report from the Global CCS Institute argued that world leaders ‘must support CCS projects‘ to cut CO2 emissions.
November 2014: UK and Canada sign CCS deal to capture up to 90% of CO2 emissions from fossil fuels.
November 2014: DECC announces new funding of £2.5m to support new CCS projects, technologies and solutions.
Late 2015: Companies to take final investment decisions on the CCS competition

Arthur Nelsen 

edie is part of the Guardian Environment Network