Novel carbon capture and utilisation technologies: research and climate aspects
Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) refers to technologies that convert CO2 into products such as fuels, chemicals or building materials. The potential of such technologies to contribute to climate mitigation is assessed in a report by the European academies. Marco Mazzotti from the ETH Zurich was vice-chair of the working group that drafted the document.
Based on the academies’ report, the EU Group of Chief Scientific Advisors concludes that CCU may play a role to help reaching climate change mitigation targets and de-carbonise the economy. Preconditions for this are the availability of abundant low-carbon energy for CCU uptake and a favourable legislative and investment environment. The policy recommendations of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors to promote CCU include: to develop both a methodology to calculate its climate mitigation potential and eligibility criteria for CCU projects, to establish a conducive regulatory and investment framework, and to advocate the methodologies adopted in international agreements. These findings will be of relevance for the EU’s approach regarding the “Future of Energy” as well as in the broader policy context of the reduction of CO2 emissions, energy efficiency and life-cycle assessment.
To substantiate its policy-making, the European Commission established the Scientific Advice Mechanism. In this framework, the European Academies provide scientific expertise through the consortium SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies), part of which are the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences.
Edition / Volume: SAPEA Evidence Review Report, No. 2
Pages: 94
Standard identifier: ISBN 978-3-9819415-5-5 / DOI 10.26356/CARBONCAPTURE
