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The document outlines the process of carbon capture and storage (CCS), highlighting Illinois's significant geologic capacity to store over 80 billion metric tons of CO2. It discusses the potential for job growth, air pollution reduction, and the role of the 45Q tax credit in incentivizing the 143 eligible power and industrial facilities in the state. The text also addresses safety concerns regarding geologic storage and CO2 pipelines, citing the ADM Decatur project as a successful commercial example.

The document outlines the three-stage process of carbon capture and storage (CCS)—capture, transport, and storage—and explains why Louisiana is well-suited for this technology due to its industrial base and subsurface geology. It highlights that CCS could create 17,000 new jobs and attract $76 billion in investment, while also reducing air pollutants like particulate matter and sulfur oxides. The text details the geologic mechanisms that ensure permanent CO2 storage and describes the EPA's Class VI regulatory program, which governs well construction, monitoring, and financial responsibility to protect groundwater and the public.

Poland is the EU's third-largest emitter, with industrial point source fossil emissions totaling 40.6 MtCO2/year. The document argues that CCS is essential for the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries—particularly cement, steel, and fertilizer—and for providing firm power in a decarbonised energy grid. Poland possesses a significant CO2 storage potential of over 15 Gt, primarily in saline aquifers (14.3 Gt) and hydrocarbon fields (1 Gt), which could store 369 years of its annual industrial point source fossil emissions. Current projects like GO4ECOPLANET aim to decarbonise cement production at the Kujawy plant, with CO2 transported to the North Sea via the ECO2CEE project. The document highlights that developing domestic onshore storage and pipeline infrastructure could reduce transport and storage costs from €93-€100/t to between €23-€49/t. To accelerate deployment, the author recommends developing national storage resources, supporting projects to Final Investment Decision (FID) through mechanisms like carbon contracts for difference, and establishing cross-border partnerships with other EU Member States and Baltic countries.

Portugal has a theoretical CO2 storage capacity of 7.09 GtCO2, which could support the decarbonisation of its energy-intensive industries, particularly cement and pulp and paper. While no active CCS projects exist, the STRATEGY CCUS project has identified the Lusitanian Basin as a key area for cluster development. To accelerate adoption, the document recommends creating a national carbon management strategy, clarifying offshore maritime space permits, and establishing cross-border storage partnerships with EU member states like Spain.

The document examines the energy transition in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), highlighting the region's shift away from Russian energy dependence toward a diversified 'all-of-the-above' approach. It identifies significant potential for the region to lead in clean tech manufacturing and innovation, particularly in batteries, small modular reactors (SMRs), and carbon capture, while leveraging the EU's Just Transition Fund to reskill coal workers and build innovation hubs.

The document describes Class VI primacy as the authority granted by the EPA to states, territories, or tribes to manage the permitting of carbon dioxide injection wells for carbon capture and sequestration. It outlines the four-phase application process and the ten core requirements a state must meet to prove its program is at least as stringent as federal standards, including site characterization, well construction, and financial responsibility. The text argues that state-led primacy can lead to more efficient permitting and oversight due to better local knowledge of geology and community needs.

The document details the regulatory framework of the EPA's Underground Injection Control (UIC) program, specifically Class VI wells used for carbon capture and storage (CCS). It outlines stringent requirements for site characterization, construction, monitoring, and financial responsibility to protect underground sources of drinking water. As of December 2023, 12 Class VI wells have been permitted in the U.S., with 178 additional applications submitted. The text emphasizes the need for increased funding and state primacy to alleviate permitting bottlenecks and support the rapid expansion of the CCS market driven by the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) advocates for the inclusion of diverse CO2 transport and storage projects in the EU's PCI and PMI lists to enable the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors. CATF emphasizes the need to expand infrastructure beyond the North Sea to Southern, Central, and Eastern Europe, and to develop flexible transport networks using pipelines, shipping, barges, and trains. The document highlights that by 2050, 300 to 640 million tonnes of CO2 must be captured and stored annually in the EU, with at least 30% of industrial emissions requiring transport to non-North Sea storage.

The report uses 2013 EIA Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) data to compare the cost per ton of CO2 abated for technologies including wind, solar, advanced nuclear, and carbon capture and storage (CCS). It finds that displacing coal plants offers the strongest economic case for abatement. While on-shore wind is the cheapest overall, greenfield gas with CCS is a competitive baseload option at $65 per ton. The analysis notes that variable resources like wind and solar may be more expensive than shown due to omitted grid integration costs, which can double or triple marginal costs at penetration levels above 20%.

The document highlights a €10 billion funding gap for announced carbon management projects in Europe and argues that the EU ETS alone is insufficient to drive the deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS). It recommends a faster phase-out of free allowances by 2029, a significant expansion of the Innovation Fund, and the use of Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfDs) to provide investor certainty and bridge the gap between current ETS prices and the actual costs of carbon abatement.

The policy brief recommends that Europe move beyond a heavy reliance on renewable energy and electrification by supporting a broader suite of technologies, including nuclear energy and carbon capture and storage. It analyses the U.S. policy framework—specifically the Energy Act of 2020, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)—as a model for bridging the gap between R&D and large-scale commercial 'take-off'. Key recommendations for the EU include streamlining regulations, providing 'self-activating' incentives, and proactively planning shared infrastructure for CO2 and hydrogen to reduce investor risk and accelerate deployment.

The document outlines the role of carbon management in North Rhine-Westphalia's transition to climate neutrality by 2045, highlighting that industrial point sources will still emit 7 million tonnes of unavoidable CO2 even with all technical measures except CCS. It identifies two key carbon management clusters—the Rhine Cluster and the Westfalen Cluster—and emphasizes the need for CO2 transport infrastructure and storage sites, potentially in the Netherlands (Porthos) or Norway (Northern Lights). The state government's strategy includes reducing CO2 intensity, developing CO2-free technologies, sustainable CO2 use, and public discourse.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) argues that the EU must adopt a diversified, options-based climate strategy to reach its 2050 net-zero goal, as relying on a single pathway increases risk. The document emphasizes the necessity of carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies, noting that no operational CO2 storage sites currently exist in the EU. CATF recommends a portfolio of zero-carbon fuels, nuclear fission, fusion, and superhot rock energy to ensure energy security and a reliable 24/7 carbon-free electricity grid. It specifically proposes separate targets for greenhouse gas emissions reductions, nature-based removals, and industrial removals to ensure transparency and durability. Additionally, the document advises against including methane in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) to avoid disincentivizing CO2 reductions, suggesting instead separate initiatives like an EU Import Standard for oil and gas.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) recommends that the EU Governance Regulation be revised to formally define and incentivise 'clean firm' electricity generation—dispatchable, low-emission sources that do not rely on weather. The brief argues that relying solely on renewable penetration metrics is inadequate for decarbonisation, citing the difference in carbon intensity between Germany and France. CATF proposes three main actions: establishing a legal definition of clean firm generation, setting an EU-wide installed capacity target, and requiring Member States to report on these targets within their National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) to ensure system adequacy and energy security.

The report finds that while announced storage capacity in the EU and EFTA (including Norway) may exceed 2030 capture demand, the EU alone is not on track to meet its 50 Mtpa target by 2030. Significant uncertainty remains as most projects are in early exploration stages, and actual investment lags behind announced ambitions.

The memo advocates for a shift from traditional renewable energy procurement to a 'higher-impact' approach that matches electricity consumption with carbon-free generation on an hourly and regional basis. It argues that this method better incentivizes the deployment of firm carbon-free resources and energy storage, leading to greater actual carbon reductions than traditional annual matching. The authors recommend that the Biden Administration set targets for federal facilities to achieve 100% round-the-clock carbon-free electricity consumption.

The document advocates for the deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) to protect its industrial base from rising carbon prices and ensure a just transition. It highlights that CEE industries, particularly cement and steel, are critical for national defence and economic resilience but face a competitive disadvantage due to limited storage access. The text argues that domestic CO2 storage is significantly more cost-effective than export-reliant scenarios, necessitating cross-border infrastructure collaboration.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) recommends that the DOE prioritize a limited number of large-scale hydrogen hubs (4 to 6) to avoid program dilution and maximize industrial learning. CATF emphasizes the need for full lifecycle analysis (LCA) to measure greenhouse gas intensity, noting that natural gas with carbon capture can reach 1.5 to 2.0 kgCO2e/kgH2, while solar-powered electrolyzers range from 0.96 to 2.52 kgCO2e/kgH2 when upstream emissions are included. The document argues for prioritizing 'difficult-to-electrify' sectors such as heavy-duty trucking, marine shipping, and heavy industry. To ensure equity, CATF suggests requiring comprehensive community environmental health assessments and implementing inclusive engagement strategies to protect disadvantaged communities from industrial pollution.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) asserts that hydrogen is a critical tool for reaching full decarbonization in the U.S. by 2050, particularly for sectors that are challenging or impossible to electrify. The document advocates for the hydrogen production tax credit (PTC) in the Build Back Better Act (BBBA), stating it will incentivize both 'green' hydrogen (from electrolyzers powered by low-carbon electricity) and 'blue' hydrogen (from fossil fuels with carbon capture and low methane leaks). According to CATF, the PTC will primarily benefit the green hydrogen market while accelerating the development of necessary infrastructure. The document identifies six key sectors for hydrogen application: heavy trucking, marine shipping, aviation fuels, industrial process heating, ironmaking, and power system balancing. Additionally, it claims that hydrogen can improve local air quality compared to internal combustion engines and that public investment in hydrogen demonstration projects could create approximately 10,000 permanent jobs over the next decade.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 significantly increases the 45Q tax credit to $85/tonne for industrial and power generation facilities and $180/tonne for direct air capture (DAC) when stored in saline geologic formations. These enhancements, alongside a lowered capture threshold for industrial emitters (from 100,000 to 12,500 tonnes per year) and DAC facilities (from 100,000 to 1,000 tonnes per year), aim to make carbon capture more accessible for hard-to-abate sectors like steel, cement, and refineries. The IRA also extends the construction window to January 1, 2033, and ties full credit realization to worker requirements, such as minimum wage. Based on these developments, the document urges Europe to establish its own Carbon Capture and Storage Strategy, develop CO2 transport and storage infrastructure, and implement supportive policy frameworks like carbon contracts for difference.