Even in a climate-neutral future, carbon will be needed as an important raw material in industrial processes, particularly in parts of the chemical industry or for the production of sustainable fuels for shipping and aviation. In this context, Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) is increasingly being discussed as a promising approach for a carbon-neutral industry. A realistic look at the potential of CCU as a climate change mitigation measure, taking into account the overall impact, shows that there are significant dilemmas and trade-offs associated with the use of CCU. Chemically speaking, CO2 is an inert molecule. If it is to be converted back into basic materials, large amounts of energy and additional hydrogen are required.
As a result, there is generally no business case for CCU under the current regulatory framework in Germany and Europe. In most cases, this would only be the case if CCU applications were recognised as emission reductions, for example as part of the European Emissions Trading System, and thus given value. However, this and other CCU-related regulations must ensure that CCU applications are only recognised as climate protection measures to the extent that they actually and verifiably contribute to emission reductions. The paper sets out important guidelines for the development of this regulatory framework.
The paper is the result of a collaboration between Germanwatch, Bellona Germany and NABU.
