CCS: Carbon capture and storage — making net zero possible

Why is CCS needed to reach climate goals?

Climate change is a global challenge that affects countries and economies around the world and requires substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions across many sectors.

Renewable energy will play a central role in decarbonising the energy system. However, in several industrial processes and value chains, emissions cannot be eliminated through electrification alone and will require additional solutions alongside other measures.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) captures CO₂ at the point of emission and stores it safely and permanently underground. It is one of the technologies that can help reduce emissions from these hard‑to‑abate sources and support a more sustainable energy system.

We’re storing carbon safely and permanently beneath the seabed

CO₂ is separated from natural gas or chemical process streams, exhaust gases or even air, and is subsequently permanently stored.

The captured CO₂ is compressed, liquefied and pumped deep down into the subsurface to isolate the greenhouse gas from the atmosphere.

To decarbonise industries and the energy system in general it is necessary to take in all available technologies, including renewables, clean hydrogen and CCS. While some sectors are easier to decarbonise, others are more complex.

The gap between what it costs to emit CO₂ and what it costs to implement CCS is closing as the cost of emitting CO₂ increases, hence improving the economic rationale for CCS.