Page 15 - European Energy Innovation - spring 2019 publication

Spring 2019 European Energy Innovation 15

CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE

CCS and CCU

The opportunity that Europe cannot afford to waste

By Graeme Sweeney, Chairman of the European Zero Emission Technology and Innovation
Platform (ZEP)
common public resource we now connect to North Sea storage sites
The climate change debate take for granted, but continues to for permanent CO2 storage.
in Europe is about to heat be one of the backbones of our
up this year. Much of that society. CO2 transport and storage The short story is that CCS and CCU
will be influenced by the infrastructure should be seen in the technologies are proven and readily
Parliament elections and how the
new MEPs approach this challenge same way; an enabling infrastructure available, and much progress has

as they take the concerns of their underpinned by the public sector been made in the last few years

local constituencies to Brussels. The through direct investment and/or with regard to operational projects.

big question many of them will be appropriately structured regulation. According to the Global CCS Institute,

tasked to take forward is how we can This will be needed now that it is there are now 23 large-scale CCS

ensure a transition that works for all becoming increasingly clear that projects in operation or construction

and does not disproportionally affect CCS and CCU are crucial technology around the world – spanning sectors

the regular citizen; a transition that solutions that must be urgently such as power generation, natural

is just. deployed to enable Europe to meet gas processing, cement, iron and

its contribution under the Paris steel, chemicals and fertiliser. There

This debate will accelerate as further Agreement. are also a large number of small-

details on the Commission’s strategy scale and part-chain projects and

for long-term greenhouse gas Since the Paris Agreement was some of these are located in Europe.

emissions reduction are expected adopted in 2015, attention has Interestingly, one application of CCS

to come out during the course turned towards the goal of net-zero has really stepped into the spotlight

of the year, with adoption to the emissions and how to achieve this. in the last eighteen months – the

UNFCCC Secretariat expected by It is important to stress that all combination of CCS and steam

early 2020. Carbon Capture and solutions will be needed to achieve methane reforming of natural gas to

Storage (CCS) and Carbon Capture this goal and certain solutions produce hydrogen (blue hydrogen).

and Utilisation (CCU) technologies provide cross-cutting benefits which This has become a particularly

can facilitate an economic transition will be vital to enabling the transition significant solution in the debate

that creates positive socio-economic to a low-carbon economy. One such around how to decarbonise heating

factors rather than only an industrial solution is CO2 transport and storage and transport – and hydrogen can
transition. Whilst CCS and CCU infrastructure. also be used as a low-carbon source

creates new jobs and economic of electricity.

benefits, it also crucially helps to The development of CO2 pipeline There are those who believe CCS
retain Europe’s vital energy intensive and storage networks in key

and process industries in a net- European regions such as the Port is purely a CO2 mitigation solution.
zero world, helping to avoid carbon of Rotterdam and Norway creates While this is technically true, it is

leakage. strategic CCS and CCU clusters only half the story. CCS and CCU

which can unlock decarbonisation also represent a massive growth

In fact, there is a strong case for in a number of important sectors, industry for Europe and, where CCS

treating CCS and CCU as a societal such as energy intensive industries, is included in scenarios that achieve

good to reduce CO2 emissions across power and heating. Such networks a 2050 net-zero emissions energy
various sectors of Europe’s regional can also be linked to natural gas system, it delivers a saving of over

and national economies. We can infrastructure, thereby providing €1,150bn. This is one opportunity

compare its development to water low-cost low-carbon hydrogen. In that Europe cannot afford to waste.

systems; the collection, treatment, the German federal state of North As we approach the EU Parliament

storage, distribution and drainage. Rhine-Westphalia, CCS and hydrogen Elections, let’s make sure MEPs hear

Water system infrastructure was a is becoming an attractive concept this one message loud and clear: CCS

public investment when undertaken for achieving carbon neutrality in and CCU is ready and now is the time

in the 19th century in Europe. It is a heavy industry – with proposals to for action. l

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