Europe must coordinate carbon infrastructure buildout for CCS success – report

The buildout of a sizeable infrastructure for CO2 transport and storage is key to enable the market ramp-up for carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies in Europe, said the World Energy Council (WEC) Germany in a report, adding that cross-border cooperation is crucial.

“Coordinated infrastructure development across Europe is a prerequisite for the success of CCS,” said the WEC, arguing that early planning was the best way to exploit synergies. The organisation said there was a “significant need” for investments in carbon transport and storage infrastructure.

Germany has not pioneered CCS technology, partly due to lacking a regulatory framework for the transport and storage of CO2, the report found. “Many countries have long since established the necessary legal foundations,” said WEC Germany's managing director, Carsten Rolle. “Germany has waited too long – now we need a reliable framework.”

The government has recently presented a draft law to allow and regulate CO2 transport and storage in Germany. It is largely based on an earlier draft – which did not make it through parliament due to the collapse of the former coalition government – and could be debated by lawmakers in autumn.

Long-term storage of CO2 is currently forbidden in Germany, and carbon capture and transport face significant regulatory hurdles. Years of protest against industry plans to use CCS as a lifeline for coal power made the technology a no-go for many politicians in Germany, Europe and beyond. Yet, many countries’ 2050 net zero goals have reopened debate on the issue of combatting CO2 emissions that are hard to abate, for example in cement production. However, many applications remain controversial, because of their high costs, immature technology and the risk of diverting attention from emissions reduction.