Periodic Reporting for period 2 - IMPACTS9 (IMplementation Plan for Actions on CCUS Technologies in the SET Plan)
Reporting period: 2020-11-01 to 2022-04-30
Carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) is widely considered essential to support European climate ambition and achieve the target adopted in the Paris Agreement. Multiple recent studies have highlighted that CCUS technologies will play a critical role in decarbonising the European energy and industrial sectors. In addition, hydrogen produced by methane reformation with carbon capture could enable further decarbonisation of domestic and commercial heating, and transport, and it is expected that carbon dioxide removal (CDR) will also be a key enabler.
There are more than 60 ongoing and planned CCUS projects in Europe, aiming to start operations before 2030 given the right regulatory frameworks and funding support mechanisms. But there is still a lack of familiarity and acceptance of CCUS technologies, as well as regulatory barriers at both Member State (MS) and EU levels. This poses a material risk to European ambitions of technology leadership, and the development of this globally critical technology for climate mitigation.
For these reasons and more, the implementation of CCUS technologies is crucial both in Europe and in many emerging economies around the world. It will support the transition of existing industries and associated jobs, to achieve the net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions target as quickly as possible and at lowest costs for society.
The European Commission (EC), the SET-Plan countries, and the industry, outlined 10 CCUS targets that, if reached, will enable the commercialisation of CCUS technologies in Europe. To support the achievement of these targets, the Implementation Plan identified 8 key Research and Innovation (R&I) activities under the guidance of the SET-Plan Implementation Plan Working Group 9 (IWG9), led by the Norwegian and Dutch governments and the Zero Emissions Platform.
The overarching objective of IMPACTS9 is to support the realisation of the SET-Plan Implementation Plan on CCS and CCU – and, ultimately, climate neutrality in Europe. Thus, the project coordinates and supports the delivery of these R&I activities by key public and private stakeholders.
There are more than 60 ongoing and planned CCUS projects in Europe, aiming to start operations before 2030 given the right regulatory frameworks and funding support mechanisms. But there is still a lack of familiarity and acceptance of CCUS technologies, as well as regulatory barriers at both Member State (MS) and EU levels. This poses a material risk to European ambitions of technology leadership, and the development of this globally critical technology for climate mitigation.
For these reasons and more, the implementation of CCUS technologies is crucial both in Europe and in many emerging economies around the world. It will support the transition of existing industries and associated jobs, to achieve the net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions target as quickly as possible and at lowest costs for society.
The European Commission (EC), the SET-Plan countries, and the industry, outlined 10 CCUS targets that, if reached, will enable the commercialisation of CCUS technologies in Europe. To support the achievement of these targets, the Implementation Plan identified 8 key Research and Innovation (R&I) activities under the guidance of the SET-Plan Implementation Plan Working Group 9 (IWG9), led by the Norwegian and Dutch governments and the Zero Emissions Platform.
The overarching objective of IMPACTS9 is to support the realisation of the SET-Plan Implementation Plan on CCS and CCU – and, ultimately, climate neutrality in Europe. Thus, the project coordinates and supports the delivery of these R&I activities by key public and private stakeholders.
The announcement of the European Green Deal in December 2019 completely changed the policy landscape. The IWG9/IMPACTS9 took swift action and prepared a report titled ‘Follow-up on current targets’ – which was sent to the SET-Plan Secretariat and the EC – and called on its Subgroups and other relevant stakeholders in the CCUS community to present an updated set of draft targets, for endorsement at the CCUS SET-Plan Plenary meeting in the autumn 2020. These updated targets reflect the EU objective of achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 and with a 55% GHG emissions reduction, compared to 1990 levels, by 2030. There is no doubt that these EU targets make the need for CCS and CCU even stronger, thus the decade ahead will be crucial to develop and deploy these technologies at scale.
Following the updated targets, the ‘CCUS 2030 Roadmap’ was prepared – the IWG9 and the CCUS community were involved, providing input, comments, and also engaging through a specific workshop. The Roadmap was approved at the CCUS SET-Plan Plenary in October 2021, published ahead of the COP26 in November 2021, and distributed broadly. The Roadmap gives clear information to policymakers at EU and MS levels, as well as projects, companies, and the finance community, on what will be needed – regarding R&I, policy and funding frameworks, etc. – to reach the EU’s 2030 target and be on track for net-zero by 2050.
Among the key overarching workstreams for the IMPACTS9:
• Delivering the main reports of the IMPACTS9 work:
1. Deliverables 3.1-3.8 in Work Package 3: Support the realisation of the CCS & CCU Implementation Plan’s Research and Innovation Activities, and
2. Deliverables 4.1-4.3. in Work Package 4: Framework for deployment of CCUS.
• The IWG9 input to the ‘SET Plan progress report 2021’, with a focus on exemplary CCUS projects, as well as the reporting exercise for the 2022 report.
• The IMPACTS9/IWG9 conference on 1 April 2022.
• Guidance for future of the IWG9: ‘The IWG9 and ZEP guidance for call for proposals HORIZON-CL5-2021-D3-02-15’.
• Delivering all the deliverables of the IMPACTS9 project.
Over the project lifetime IMPACTS9 has held these overarching meetings supporting the IWG9:
• 36 monthly IMPACTS9 consortium meetings to plan the work of the IWG9’s subgroups and work packages, as well as extraordinary meetings to coordinate the work to update the targets and multiple reporting exercises.
• 8 CCUS SET-Plan Plenary meetings, with wide attendance from the European Commission, Member States, industry, research community, and civil society.
• 11 meetings of the Strategic Coordination Group, between the Plenary meetings.
Work within the IMPACT9 subgroups – Large-scale projects, Capture, Storage, Utilisation, and Modelling – comprised of CCUS community experts, has continued strongly during project’s lifetime, engaging many stakeholders in conferences, seminars, and workshops.
The project has also collaborated with many other European and international initiatives.
The project has had a strong dissemination and communication programme, including the project website, social media presence and profile, public newsletters, press releases, the organisation of more than 50 physical and virtual events, the final conference, videos, well as establishing dissemination cooperation with several stakeholders.
IMPACTS9 has also been engaged in other overarching activities, such as:
• Horizon Europe’s Clean Energy Transition Partnership/Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda.
• The role of CCUS for energy system integration, with a submission to the SET-Plan conference.
• A list of European CCUS market-ready projects – that could be financed through the EU Recovery Fund.
• The ‘Implementing the SET Plan’ reports.
• IWG workshops and cross-fertilisation work on ‘Integration of RES in the energy system’ and ‘Raw material and circularity’.
Following the updated targets, the ‘CCUS 2030 Roadmap’ was prepared – the IWG9 and the CCUS community were involved, providing input, comments, and also engaging through a specific workshop. The Roadmap was approved at the CCUS SET-Plan Plenary in October 2021, published ahead of the COP26 in November 2021, and distributed broadly. The Roadmap gives clear information to policymakers at EU and MS levels, as well as projects, companies, and the finance community, on what will be needed – regarding R&I, policy and funding frameworks, etc. – to reach the EU’s 2030 target and be on track for net-zero by 2050.
Among the key overarching workstreams for the IMPACTS9:
• Delivering the main reports of the IMPACTS9 work:
1. Deliverables 3.1-3.8 in Work Package 3: Support the realisation of the CCS & CCU Implementation Plan’s Research and Innovation Activities, and
2. Deliverables 4.1-4.3. in Work Package 4: Framework for deployment of CCUS.
• The IWG9 input to the ‘SET Plan progress report 2021’, with a focus on exemplary CCUS projects, as well as the reporting exercise for the 2022 report.
• The IMPACTS9/IWG9 conference on 1 April 2022.
• Guidance for future of the IWG9: ‘The IWG9 and ZEP guidance for call for proposals HORIZON-CL5-2021-D3-02-15’.
• Delivering all the deliverables of the IMPACTS9 project.
Over the project lifetime IMPACTS9 has held these overarching meetings supporting the IWG9:
• 36 monthly IMPACTS9 consortium meetings to plan the work of the IWG9’s subgroups and work packages, as well as extraordinary meetings to coordinate the work to update the targets and multiple reporting exercises.
• 8 CCUS SET-Plan Plenary meetings, with wide attendance from the European Commission, Member States, industry, research community, and civil society.
• 11 meetings of the Strategic Coordination Group, between the Plenary meetings.
Work within the IMPACT9 subgroups – Large-scale projects, Capture, Storage, Utilisation, and Modelling – comprised of CCUS community experts, has continued strongly during project’s lifetime, engaging many stakeholders in conferences, seminars, and workshops.
The project has also collaborated with many other European and international initiatives.
The project has had a strong dissemination and communication programme, including the project website, social media presence and profile, public newsletters, press releases, the organisation of more than 50 physical and virtual events, the final conference, videos, well as establishing dissemination cooperation with several stakeholders.
IMPACTS9 has also been engaged in other overarching activities, such as:
• Horizon Europe’s Clean Energy Transition Partnership/Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda.
• The role of CCUS for energy system integration, with a submission to the SET-Plan conference.
• A list of European CCUS market-ready projects – that could be financed through the EU Recovery Fund.
• The ‘Implementing the SET Plan’ reports.
• IWG workshops and cross-fertilisation work on ‘Integration of RES in the energy system’ and ‘Raw material and circularity’.
The interest for IWG9, the Plenary meetings and the project’s work from external stakeholders has increased strongly over the project’s lifetime, resulting in firmly increased collaboration and coordination with external stakeholders and other initiatives and programmes. The project has also engaged in several workstreams that are above and beyond the initial work programme, including the analysis and updating of the targets, the extensive forward-looking work of the ‘CCUS Roadmap’ and the contributions to the Clean Energy Transition Partnership.
The project has continued its active work to realise the eight R&I activities, in order to enable the achievement of the 10 CCUS SET-Plan targets and the effective execution of the SET-Plan Implementation Plan, as well as to establish a framework accelerating large-scale deployment of CCUS in Europe.
The project is also contributing to resolve socio-economic challenges:
• Supporting industries and their associated communities to transition to a low-carbon economy in a manner that leaves no one behind.
• Showing how Europe can demonstrate international leadership in technology and climate action.
• Contributing to increasing the familiarity of civil society with CCUS technologies.
• Contributing to citizens’ awareness of the environmental and economic opportunities associated with CCUS and the transition.
The project has continued its active work to realise the eight R&I activities, in order to enable the achievement of the 10 CCUS SET-Plan targets and the effective execution of the SET-Plan Implementation Plan, as well as to establish a framework accelerating large-scale deployment of CCUS in Europe.
The project is also contributing to resolve socio-economic challenges:
• Supporting industries and their associated communities to transition to a low-carbon economy in a manner that leaves no one behind.
• Showing how Europe can demonstrate international leadership in technology and climate action.
• Contributing to increasing the familiarity of civil society with CCUS technologies.
• Contributing to citizens’ awareness of the environmental and economic opportunities associated with CCUS and the transition.