Global carbon capture and storage capacity increases by a third in nine months
But more action is required to scale sector critical to achieving climate goals, warns industry group behind latest status report
The pipeline of carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects around the world has swelled over the nine months as awareness and understanding of the need to mitigate emissions from carbon intensive power plants and industrial sites has grown, fresh data has revealed.
The Global Status of CCS report published this morning by the Global CCS Institute reveals the capacity of CCS projects planned around the world has grown by 48 per cent over the last nine months, increasing from 73 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) in 2020 to 111 Mtpa in the first nine months of this year alone.
There are now 27 operational carbon capture facilities around the world, with a further 102 under development and four in the construction phase, according to the analysis.
The report notes that installed CCS capacity has also grown over the past nine months, increasing by 32 per cent this year compared to the first nine months of 2020.
Jarad Daniels, CEO of the Global CCS Institute, welcomed the upward trajectory of the CCS market but noted that much more development was needed to support global climate goals.
“Although much more is required, commitment to climate action is progressing steadily and we’re seeing growing interest and support for CCS,” he said. “As we accelerate toward net zero emissions by mid-century and establish clearer interim targets, CCS will be integral to the decarbonisation of energy, industrial sectors such as cement, fertilisers, and chemicals, and will open new opportunities in areas including clean hydrogen and carbon dioxide removal.”
The study notes that North America continues to be the global front runner in CCS deployment, highlighting that 40 of the 71 new CCS facilities announced this year were in Canada, the US, and Mexico. However, it also confirms that several countries have entered the CCS market for the first time, with projects now under development in Belgium, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, and Sweden.
The research also highlights that CCS projects are becoming increasingly diverse, with facilities in development in a broad range of sectors including power generation, liquefied natural gas (LNG), cement, steel, waste-to-energy, direct air capture and storage, and hydrogen production.
In related news, the firms behind a major carbon capture and storage project in North-East Scotland have inked a deal to store emissions generated by a blue hydrogen production facility being planned in Kent.
Under the terms of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) announced this week, a 700MW low carbon hydrogen plant being plotted by Arup, Shell, SSE Thermal, National Grid Ventures and Uniper on an island in the Thames Estuary would avail itself of a CO2 transport and storage infrastructure system being planned by the proposed Acorn CCS Project in the Port of Peterhead.
Under the plans, the CO2 generated by the plant, dubbed Project Cavendish, will be sent by ship to a dedicated CO2 reception terminal being planned at the port, before being sent for permanent storage under the North Sea. The terminal is being built as part of plans to decarbonise emissions-intensive industry in Aberdeenshire by the Scottish Cluster consortium.
“The signing of the MoU’s with Project Cavendish and the Peterhead Port Authority demonstrates how the Scottish Cluster can decarbonise not only Scottish emitters but those throughout the UK and Europe,” said Nick Cooper, CEO of Storegga, one of the firms involved in the Scottish Cluster scheme.
“The Acorn Project is strategically located in Aberdeenshire to make best use of legacy oil and gas infrastructure and Scotland’s excellent offshore geology for CO2 storage,” he added. “This, combined with access to the deep-water port of Peterhead which offers significant CO2 import capabilities, means that the Scottish Cluster is able to support the urgent decarbonisation of industrial clusters across the UK.”
