Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is not a new technology. It has been around for decades but was often shelved as too inefficient and costly. However, it has now come to the forefront of discussions around net zero pathways. In mid-December 2023, the UK Government issued a new policy statement and is subsidising a number of pioneering projects. It seems CCS is here to stay, and many experts are hoping it will be a productive step towards curbing global emissions, without detracting from renewable energy rollouts and new fossil-fuel-free technologies.

What is CCS?

CCS is a technology that captures carbon dioxide (CO2) from the flue gas produced by combustion processes in large power plants, refineries and other industrial facilities. Once the CO2 is captured, it is turned into liquid then transported and injected into a storage site (i.e. a body of rock).

Why is the UK Government behind CCS?

Supporters of the technology have long argued that industrial methods for essential materials, such as cement production, the chemical, and steel industries, currently lack alternatives to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by the manufacturing processes themselves. Therefore, CCS is viewed as the only short- and medium-term solution for those industries.

Furthermore, on the power generation side of the equation, grids still depend on fossil fuels to guarantee the reliability of the electricity supply, even in countries where renewable energies have high penetration. Therefore, in a bid to achieve net zero as quickly as possible, CCS could prove to be a viable solution.

In the UK specifically, there are synergies that could be leveraged to improve CCS credentials. Existing oil and gas infrastructure can be repurposed for CO2 transport and storage. Additionally, many communities that have historically relied on fossil fuel industries could find new roles in the sector, bringing economic benefits.

Moreover, the current CCS policy aims to create a subsidy-free CCS market, similar to the path that many other renewable technologies have taken in the past.

What are the critics saying?

Critics tend to have a twofold argument. Firstly, the technology objectively increases energy consumption, often generated from burning fossil fuels, at the power plant or industrial facility where CCS has been installed. This means that more fossil fuels are pumped out of the ground, creating a non-carbon-neutral inefficient feedback loop. Secondly, critics often argue that champions of the technology are further perpetuating and normalising fossil fuel consumption, and that CCS cannot offer long-term solutions.

How is the market developing?

CCS as a technology is still developing and this is very exciting. Innovative start-ups are entering the space, bringing new and cheaper solutions to the process. The high costs associated with CCS are forecasted to drop as the current highly-subsidised environment develops into a price-competitive, viable and independent market. 

Further information

Contact Luisa Mostarda or Georgia Taylor

In plain English: Carbon capture