Brussels, 29/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - The European platform for carbon capture and storage (CCS) - the Zero Emissions Platform (ZEP) - welcomes European leaders' support for this technology as part of the 2030 climate and energy policies.
“For the first time in six years, European Council conclusions have made an explicit reference to carbon capture and storage. This is a significant breakthrough and a vital step towards achieving Europe's energy goals, from decarbonisation to security of supply”, ZEP states in a press release. The proposal to extend the NER400 funding programme, which explicitly endorses CCS, will provide crucial momentum to the deployment of this technology while avoiding a potential funding gap after 2020, ZEP states.
“CCS is part of the lowest cost route to reaching the EU's climate and energy objectives. A robust and predictable carbon price is at the centre of successfully deploying CCS in Europe and therefore needs the commitments made by the Council for strengthening the emissions trading system”, ZEP adds. It also underlines the crucial role of CCS for maintaining the EU's industrial base, given that this technology is the only decarbonisation option for some energy intensive industries.
“We hope that through national governance plans, member states will be able to show that CCS can be a reality in Europe in the same way that it has become a reality in Canada” - where the first CCS project of global importance was inaugurated in early October (see EUROPE 11172), ZEP concludes. ZEP is expecting the new European Commission to develop a European strategy for CCS technology. (EH)