Carbon Capture and Storage: Advantages & Disadvantages

Global warming must not exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.¹ Central to this is the curtailing of greenhouse gas emissions, namely carbon dioxide (CO2).² Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has been identified by the IPCC³ and the fossil fuel industry as one potential solution to this issue.⁴

But, is it realistic? Let’s find out by comparing the advantages and disadvantages of carbon capture and storage.

Carbon capture and storage advantages

A solution to global warming

Proponents of carbon capture and storage point to the difficulty of a comprehensive fossil fuel elimination plan.⁵ Instead, they argue that it is more feasible to use CCS to reduce our carbon emissions.⁶ At present, fossil fuels provide 81 per cent of the global energy demand.⁷ By 2040, these carbon-emitting fuels are predicted to account for 60 per cent of primary energy generation.⁸ In order to reduce the CO2 emissions from fossil fuel power plants that will continue to supply much of our energy needs, CCS is considered a viable solution. 

Reduces large industrial installations’ emissions

Some consider CCS to be the only way to tackle climate change, whilst continuing to provide the world’s power. It is the sole technology that can help reduce large industrial installations’ emissions.⁹ It has the potential to make up between 10 and 55 per cent of the short-term total carbon mitigation effort, according to the IPCC.¹⁰ An increase in the number of large scale CCS power facilities in operations is recommended by its advocates to meet the world’s carbon capture and storage requirements.¹¹ 

Carbon capture and storage disadvantages

Expense

A major disadvantage of CCS is its expense. Modifying existing power plants or industrial processes, such as cement production for CCS, costs a great deal.¹² Subsequently, it is more suitable for incorporation into new plants.¹³

Operational and running costs

A plant with CCS technology uses more fuel than one without.¹⁴ This is both costly and damaging to the environment. CCS enabled plants require additional fossil fuels to be burned daily to extract, pump and compress the CO2.¹⁵

Scaling-up barriers

The level of scale-up required to make an impact on global carbon emissions is another disadvantage of CCS. An estimated minimum of 2,000 CCS facilities will need to be in operation by 2040 to achieve the Paris Climate Agreement’s targets.¹⁶

Lack of investment and functioning CCS plants

Currently, there are just 19 large-scale industrial and two large-scale CCS power facilities in operation.¹⁷ There are only 20 additional projects under development.¹⁸ A huge increase in CCS investment and expansion is required for the technology to become a sustainable strategy.

Is CCS a solution to climate change?

Considering the advantages and disadvantages of carbon capture and storage, it is clear that it is not a feasible solution to climate change. However, significant investment in renewable energy sources could provide the emissions decline required to avoid exceeding the 1.5°C global temperature increase.

Clean energy consumption has grown at an average annual rate of 13.7 per cent over the past decade.¹⁹ Renewables are anticipated to account for 95 per cent of the net increase in global power capacity through 2025.²⁰ Solar energy is responsible for the lion’s share of the growth.²¹ It is also one of the lowest-cost electricity sources in history.²²

Fossil fuels caused the climate change calamity.²³ Humanity must recognise that the future lies in the available clean sources of energy, and not dirty fossil fuels, before it is too late.

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