Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)

Definition

‘CCUS involves combining carbon capture technology with utilisation (or “use”) or sequestration (or “storage”) in order to reduce CO2 from emissions sources (e.g. power plants, industrial facilities) by using different technologies to separate CO2, capture it before it enters the atmosphere and then either permanently store it underground or incorporate it into certain products.’

Source: WRI

Explainer

The main sectors relevant to CCUS implementation are power and industry. Industrial processes (e.g. steel, cement, chemical, paper/pulp, ethanol, natural gas processing) are estimated to account for roughly 25% of global energy-related CO2 emissions. CCUS can be applied to existing power/industrial plants, especially in hard-to-abate sectors. Current CCUS project developments are estimated to be able to capture 0.7% of current emissions. As such, CCUS could play a critical but limited role in reaching decarbonisation goals in the near future. However, CCUS should not be misinterpreted as justification for continued long-term fossil fuel usage or increased GHG emissions. CCUS is not sufficient to sustain current fossil fuel usage in accordance with a net-zero future.