About
With European climate targets now enshrined in EU legislation, it is crucial that carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) are developed, deployed and scaled up during this decade. This will help achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 and meet higher climate targets for 2030.
The scale up of CCS-CCU supports the EU transition, enables and supports a just transition for European industry – preserves jobs, stimulates economic growth and diversifies supply chains into new industries – and thus develops Europe as a global leader in the clean, competitive economy of the future.
The Implementation Working Group (IWG) CCS-CCU, established in 2017 under the SET Plan, plays a pivotal role in advancing research and innovation (R&I) activities to meet the ambitious targets for CCS-CCU outlined in the 2016 Declaration of Intent.
In response to the EU's enhanced climate-neutrality targets for 2050, IWG CSS-CCUrevised and updated its targets in 2020 to align with these increased ambitions. IWG CCS-CCU monitors progress and facilitates collaboration between the European Commission, SET Plan countries and industry to achieve the 2020 and 2030 objectives for large-scale CCS-CCU deployment.
Targets and objective
By introducing the European Green Deal and the European Climate Law, the EU has strengthened its climate ambitions to reach climate neutrality by 2050. The European Climate Law sets an intermediate target of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to the levels in 1990.
The law highlights the potential role of CCS-CCU technologies in decarbonisation, particularly in mitigating industrial process emissions for Member States that opt to adopt these technologies. The updated targets, defined in the 2020 CCS-CCU Implementation Plan with a timeline until 2030 are as follows:
- R&I Activity 1: Deliver 15 commercial-scale CCS projects for industrial CO₂ sources, with 10 additional projects completing FEED studies and five making investment decisions.
- R&I Activity 2: Deliver 10 commercial-scale CCS projects for clean, flexible power and heat generation, complementing renewable energy.
- R&I Activity 3: EU and external SET Plan countries complete national/regional CCS roadmaps for dedicated CO₂ transport infrastructure, with inclusion in the European Ten-Year Network Development Plan (TYNDP).
- R&I Activity 4: Establish 10+ EU Projects of Common Interest (PCI) for CO₂ transport, focusing on Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe.
- R&I Activity 5: Maintain an updated, cost-effective inventory of geological storage capacity, validated by European national authorities.
- R&I Activity 6: Implement at least three pilots of capture technologies at TRL 7-8 in various industries, and six at TRL 5-6, including Bio-CCS and DAC.
- R&I Activity 7: Achieve an interim target of six new CO₂ storage sites prepared or permitted, with an additional nine sites appraised by 2030.
- R&I Activity 8: Develop demonstration installations producing CO₂-based fuels, chemicals and materials, aligning with EU climate and circularity goals.
- R&I Activity 9: Enable large-scale commercial CCU installations with supportive regulatory frameworks and financial measures, leveraging IPCEIs and the New Industrial Strategy.
- R&I Activity 10: All European countries establish CCS/CCU as needed in National Energy and Climate Plans for a net-zero transition by 2050.
For the latest updates on CCS and CCU within the SET Plan, including projects and resources, as well as news and events, please visit the official CCUS SET-Plan website.
Composition
The membership of the IWG CCS-CCU comprises of 11 SET Plan countries (listed below), industrial stakeholders, non-governmental organisations and research institutions. IWG CCS-CCU is chaired by the Netherlands, Norway and the Zero Emissions Platform.
Participating SET Plan countries (in alphabetical order):
- Czechia
- France
- Germany
- Hungary
- Italy
- Netherlands (Chair)
- Norway (Chair)
- Spain
- Sweden
- Türkiye
- United Kingdom
Countries and stakeholders interested in accelerating the large-scale deployment of CCS-CCU technologies and helping to achieve the implementation plan targets are invited to participate by connecting to the secretariat.
Documents
Please visit the CCUS SET Plan resources site to access publications including reports, workshops and newsletters.
