A roadmap for carbon capture and storage in Europe
Improving energy efficiency and increasing power production from renewable energy sources are key elements of Europe's climate change strategy, but they are not sufficient to resolve the problem entirely. Other options, such as carbon capture and storage (CCS), also have a role to play. Considerable EU funding has been and continues to be invested in research and development (R&D) projects addressing the scientific, technical and financial aspects of CCS. In parallel, the groundwork must be laid for the regulatory framework for CCS. This was the goal of the 'Acceptance of CO2 capture, storage – economics, policy, and technology' (Accsept) project. Even if all the technical obstacles with CCS are overcome, it won't stand a chance if the public is not behind it. In order to get a read on the general opinion of CCS, the Accsept team put together a questionnaire and administered it to over 500 individuals hailing from government, academia, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and others. This action was supplemented by two dedicated stakeholder workshops. The feedback was positive, but indicated the need for targeted intervention. For instance, more attractive financial and environmental incentives could help accelerate the development of CCS technology. Some regions could also benefit from communication campaigns to further raise awareness about CCS. Finally, an interesting conclusion drawn by the Accsept team is that of not forcing agreement among the varied stakeholders, but rather focusing on continued exchange of information. The Accsept recommendations, which can be found in the project's final report available from the project website, outline a roadmap for CCS implementation in Europe.
