A European Strategy for Carbon Capture and Storage

The report argues that while Europe has significant theoretical CO2 storage capacity, actual deployment is hindered by a funding gap, regulatory barriers to cross-border transport, and a lack of coordinated infrastructure. It recommends shifting from project-based funding to system-based approaches, implementing carbon contracts for difference (CCfDs), and establishing a market for low-carbon products. The authors call for a formal EU strategy to set milestone targets and coordinate the development of large-scale, open-access storage sites beyond the North Sea.

• There is a significant financial shortfall for currently announced CCS projects in Europe, with a cumulative revenue gap estimated at €10 billion by 2030.
• Developed CO2 storage capacity is failing to keep pace with demand; based on current project timelines, there could be a 50% shortfall in developed storage capacity by 2030, despite a theoretical capacity of 500 Gt in Europe.
• The London Protocol currently acts as a barrier to the international CO2 market because it formally prohibits the export of CO2 for disposal in another country, requiring time-consuming bilateral agreements as a provisional workaround.
• To move beyond government subsidies, the report recommends creating a market for low-carbon products through rigorous certification, public procurement of materials like steel and concrete, and carbon intensity limits for end-use sectors.
• The report argues that low-carbon hydrogen produced via natural gas reforming with CCS is a rapidly scalable alternative to electrolysis, which would otherwise require an immense amount of additional renewable energy (approximately 500 TWh per year) to meet 2030 targets.
• Technological carbon removals, including direct air capture (DAC) and bio-energy carbon capture and storage (BECCS), are deemed essential for offsetting residual emissions and addressing climate overshoot, though DAC currently faces high costs between 190 and 660 €/t.
• While the North Sea is the primary focus of current activity, the report emphasizes the need to develop storage in Southern, Central, and Eastern Europe, noting promising resources in Romania, Poland, Croatia, and the Czech Republic.

APA

Lockwood, T., & Bertels, T. (2022). A European Strategy for Carbon Capture and Storage. Clean Air Task Force. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/10050419/CATF_CCSEuropeStrategy_Report_final.pdf

Chicago

Lockwood, Toby, and Tim Bertels. A European Strategy for Carbon Capture and Storage. Clean Air Task Force, 2022. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/10050419/CATF_CCSEuropeStrategy_Report_final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Lockwood |first1=Toby |last2=Bertels |first2=Tim |title=A European Strategy for Carbon Capture and Storage |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=May 2022 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/10050419/CATF_CCSEuropeStrategy_Report_final.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lockwood2022european, author = {Lockwood, Toby and Bertels, Tim}, title = {{A European Strategy for Carbon Capture and Storage}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2022}, month = may, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/10050419/CATF_CCSEuropeStrategy_Report_final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }