CCUS can clean up the stubborn emissions that renewables struggle to reach. According to the International Energy Agency, “reaching net zero will be virtually impossible without CCUS”.
Industrial cleaner.
Industry accounts for about 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, mostly in the form of carbon dioxide. Some can be cut out easily using renewable electricity, but much cannot. For example, carbon dioxide is a by-product of some chemical processes, such as making the most common type of cement using limestone. CCUS may be the most realistic way to tackle those emissions. Many industrial processes also need intense heat, which can be difficult or expensive to provide with electricity using today’s technologies, so it usually comes from burning fossil fuels. CCUS could be the most cost-effective way to cut those emissions.
Power supporter.
Future electricity generation is likely to be dominated by solar and wind power, with output that depends on the weather rather than tracking demand. On a still, grey day, we will need backup power. In many countries, backup will be provided by natural gas – which could supply low-carbon electricity with the help of CCUS.
Hydrogen launcher.
Hydrogen is likely to be an essential part of a net-zero world. It can be used to power heavy industry and long-range transport in a low-carbon way. It can also replace natural gas in providing heat. It is becoming an important part of Europe’s decarbonization plans. Eventually, most hydrogen will be made using surplus renewable power; in the meantime, gas-rich countries can drive the clean hydrogen market by making it from natural gas. This process generates carbon dioxide, so CCUS is needed to clean it up.
Air purifier.
Just cutting down on emissions won’t be enough to prevent dangerous climate change. Some carbon dioxide will need to be taken out of the air, both to balance any remaining greenhouse gas emissions and to compensate for emissions in the past. This is known as carbon removal. The storage element of CCUS will be vital in ensuring the removed carbon does not return to the atmosphere