CO2 transport in Europe faces new challenges, opportunities

Europe must invest in large-scale deployment of CO2 transport and storage infrastructure and connecting CO2 emitters with storage sites, Zero Emissions Platform (ZEP) said on July 1.

“Investing in large-scale deployment of CO2 transport and storage infrastructure, connecting CO2 emitters with storage sites, is a no-regret investment opportunity,” ZEP Chairman Graeme Sweeney said. “This is crucial for the cost-efficient decarbonisation required to meet Europe’s climate-neutrality target by 2050. The CO2 infrastructure would also enable a clean hydrogen economy and deliver carbon dioxide removals,” he added.

A new report from ZEP looks at the challenges and opportunities for CO2 transport in Europe, including pipelines and other modes of transport. The report entitled A Trans-European CO2 Transportation Infrastructure for CCUS: Opportunities & Challenges provides an overview of CO2 transportation, particularly in industrial clusters, and highlights the importance of developing dedicated business models, as well as enabling policy framework, for CO2 transportation, ZEP said in a press release.

This report is particularly relevant in the context of the European Green Deal, as CO2 infrastructure is crucial to deliver large-scale decarbonisation across industry and energy sectors, which will be necessary to achieve climate-neutrality. In addition, the report analyses the technical specifications and challenges for CO2 transportation in Europe and identifies the current legal barriers.

CO2 transportation and storage projects are already up and running in Europe and have been for more than 20 years, the press release read. Now, policymakers must send a strong signal in support of cross-border CO2 infrastructure in Europe and encourage industry to invest in the technology. Cross-border CO2 infrastructure would provide industry across the EU with fair access to CO2 storage, enabling member states to decarbonise and creating a level playing field. CO2 infrastructure must become a core competence of the EU as a driver of decarbonisation, outlined in the European Green Deal, and as a caretaker of the single market.