Carbon capture and storage is the only technology available to decarbonise heavy industry to the extent needed to meet UK carbon targets, according to the Green Alliance.
In a report, the organisation acknowledges ongoing government support to make carbon capture and storage (CCS) viable for power stations, but warns that policymakers must adapt the technology for industry or run the risk that it will not offer a route to decarbonise industry or provide low-carbon power.
The report urges the government to invest in “industrial CCS clusters”, estimating these would capture nine times more carbon than through the two power station projects – White Rose in Yorkshire and Peterhead in Scotland – now being supported through the government’s CCS demonstration programme.
If the government included the Humber heavy industries in its White Rose CCS demonstration project, for example, it could reduce the project’s cost by nearly two-thirds per tonne of CO2, says the report. This, it claims, would also help to cut the cost of CCS and bring it more into line with solar and offshore wind.
“CCS is one low-carbon option among many for the power sector. But, to decarbonise industry, CCS is the only choice,” said Dustin Benton, head of energy at the Green Alliance.
“Creating industrial CCS clusters would cut carbon faster as well as costs. Supporting clusters makes sense, whereas simply compensating energy intensive industries for high carbon prices does not.”
