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goals, storing around 300mn tpy of CO2. Actual for some, including heavy industry, the value of
capacity is now only around 40mn tpy, just 13% CCUS is inescapable.”
of that target. In the UK, Norway’s Equinor, National Grid
The report said that the main reason for this and Drax, which operates the coal-fired Drax
slow progress was the absence of any commercial power plant, have drawn up plans to create a
incentives or emissions penalties, making CCUS carbon-neutral industrial cluster in the Humber
unprofitable. region.
This would involve using CCUS technology
Project progress to bury carbon dioxide in subsea caverns below
Only Norway, US, Canada and China operate the North Sea.
CCUS projects, which Norway and the US being As well as capturing and storing carbon diox-
regarded as the global leaders. ide, the project is also looking to use CCUS to
Indeed, the IEA report was launched this produce hydrogen that can be used as fuel in
week together with Norwegian Prime Minister industry, heating and transport.
Erna Solberg.
“In order to develop and deploy carbon cap- Problems to address
ture and storage as a technology for the future The report found that while CCUS was mak-
we need investments in solutions and facilities in ing headway in countries such as Norway, and
many regions and countries,” said Prime Minis- in certain industries, much work needed to be
ter Solberg. “CCUS will be necessary on a global done.
scale if we are to meet the Paris Agreement. And The report gives the example of cement, say-
we must start now.” ing that there is a disconnect between the level of
Norway announced this week a $2.7bn car- maturity of individual CO2 capture technologies
bon capture and storage (CCS) project named and the areas in which they are most needed.
Longship (Langskip in Norwegian) to tackle The most advanced technology for CO2
emissions from Norway and neighbouring capture in the cement industry is only at the
countries. The country has committed to cutting demonstration stage, but a lack of alternative
domestic emissions by 50-55% by 2030. technology options means CCUS is needed to
The IEA’s report said that there are currently deliver 60% of the cement sector’s emissions
$27bn of investment plans for 30 commercial reductions, according to IEA forecasts.
CCUS projects on the table. This is more than Other industries that will require to develop
double the investment planned in 2017, the IEA CCS include chemicals, steel, gas-fired power
noted, but more must be done for the technology generation, bioenergy with carbon capture and
to be able to push down emissions levels. storage (BECCS) and direct air capture (DAC).
If all these projects were to proceed, the The IEA stressed that CCUS is only one of a
amount of global CO2 capture capacity would number of technical developments needed to
more than triple, to around 130mn tpy. reduce emissions and combat climate change.
“Action from governments will be essential The other three, which all must be developed
for establishing a sustainable and viable mar- over the next decades, are: using renewables to
ket for CCUS,” Birol said. “But industry must electrify economies; replacing fossil fuels with
also embrace the opportunity. No sector will bioenergy and using hydrogen instead of gas to
be unaffected by clean energy transitions – and heat factories, transport and homes. ™

Week 38 24•September•2020 www. NEWSBASE .com P5