Report says progress on carbon capture technology has been stalled due to lack of funding and a clear road map

The government must start providing a clear road map for widespread deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology if the UK is to meet ambitious carbon emission targets by 2050.

The warning by the Institute of Civil Engineers came as its report, published today, outlined the steps needed to deliver CCS domestically and on a global scale.

CCS – the process of capturing carbon emission during the power generation process - has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by 80-90%, and has been identified as playing a key role in meeting the UK’s looming emissions target.

But the ICE said progress on this has stalled in recent years, with continued uncertainty about how CCS will be funded and lack of a coherent regulatory framework.

The report, Carbon Capture and Storage – Time to Deliver, shows the UK has the potential to be a world leader in CCS technology, creating a major export opportunity, but needs government to provide a clear strategic overview to avoid unnecessary delays.

Speaking at the launch event, ICE vice president Geoff French said: “The UK was quick on the uptake in the global race to deploy CCS but now we have fallen behind other nations. If we want to keep a competitive lead and take advantage of the export opportunity it presents, progress needs to be greatly accelerated.”

Topics