Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Frequently Asked Questions

This fact sheet by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) examines Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), arguing that the technology fails to meaningfully reduce greenhouse emissions and may prolong dependence on fossil fuels. It details the technical limitations, safety risks, and economic costs of CCS, while contrasting it with more effective climate solutions like renewable energy and demand reduction.

• CCS is characterized as an ineffective method for reducing carbon emissions due to a history of failing to meet targets and the 'energy penalty'—the additional energy required to power capture equipment. This penalty can increase the fuel requirements for electricity generation by 13–44%. One specific case study of a coal plant retrofit in Texas showed a lifecycle emission reduction of only 10.8 percent over 20 years.
• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns against over-reliance on CCS, noting that its future deployment is uncertain and faces feasibility constraints. The IPCC indicates that the most effective pathways for staying below 1.5ºC (2.7°F) without overshoot are those that avoid reliance on CCS and BECCS, focusing instead on a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels.
• A large-scale deployment of CCS in the United States would require an unrealistic and dangerous infrastructure buildout. To capture 25% of current emissions by 2050, the industry would need to construct over 60,000 miles of pipelines and manage a volume of carbon dioxide nearly 2.5 times the total current US oil production.
• CCS does not reduce other toxic air pollutants and may increase them due to the energy penalty and the use of amine-based chemicals like monoethanolamine (MEA), which can release ammonia. The White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council has identified CCS, CCUS, and DAC as projects that will not benefit communities.
• The document argues that CCS is often used to justify 'blue hydrogen' (hydrogen from fossil gas or coal with CCS), which can have lifecycle emissions greater than burning the gas directly. It asserts that the bulk of industrial emissions from plastics, steel, and cement can be eliminated through electrification, reuse of materials, and demand reduction rather than CCS.
• Carbon dioxide storage and transport pose significant safety risks, including groundwater contamination, seismic activity, and asphyxiation. A February 2020 pipeline rupture in Satartia, Mississippi, resulted in over 40 hospitalizations and the evacuation of over 300 people.
• In the United States, the primary subsidy for CCS is the 45Q tax credit, enhanced by the August 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Credits are now 85 USD per tonne for sequestered carbon and 60 USD per tonne for utilized carbon. Direct air capture (DAC) projects receive 180 USD per tonne for sequestration and 130 USD per tonne for utilization.
• As of December 2022, global CCS capacity is extremely small relative to total emissions, representing just over 0.1 percent of the 38 gigatons of carbon dioxide emitted from fossil fuels and industry. There were 29 active CCS projects and one active DAC project globally; half of the operational capture capacity (19.8 mtpa of 42.6 mtpa) is located in the United States.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2023). Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Frequently Asked Questions. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Carbon-Capture-and-Storage-FAQ.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Frequently Asked Questions. 2023. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Carbon-Capture-and-Storage-FAQ.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Frequently Asked Questions |date=April 2023 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Carbon-Capture-and-Storage-FAQ.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2023carbon, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Frequently Asked Questions}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2023}, month = apr, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Carbon-Capture-and-Storage-FAQ.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }