As global efforts to tackle climate change continue at pace, carbon capture and storage (CCS) has come into the spotlight. In this article we look at the extent to which carbon capture can reduce climate change and the role of CCS as part of the wider green energy transition. While CCS is a promising technology in the fight against climate change, it’s not always clear how it works - especially in the context of international shipping. With this in mind, we will explore whether carbon capture can stop climate change, including looking at its potential impact and limitations.
Can carbon capture stop climate change?
Numerous governments around the world are turning to carbon capture technologies as part of their plans to tackle climate change and meet international targets. There are currently 30 commercial-scale carbon capture projects in operation globally, with a further 11 under construction and an additional 153 in various stages of development.
Is this the answer we have been looking for? Can carbon capture stop climate change?
In short, no. It is estimated that carbon capture can achieve 14% of the global greenhouse gas emissions reductions needed by 2050. So, while these technologies play a valuable role, carbon capture alone is far from enough to stop climate change.
Around 35 billion tons of CO2 are produced each year, of which Earth absorbs around half. This leaves the other half needing to be captured and stored in order to cancel out all carbon emissions. Furthermore, human activity following the Industrial Revolution has meant the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has been steadily increasing. Any efforts to “turn back the clock” on climate change would also need to account for this historic ‘backlog’ of emissions.
Put simply, it is too great an ask for carbon capture alone to stop climate change. Rather carbon capture must be implemented alongside other measures to reduce carbon emissions in the first place. These include:
- Nature-based strategies – such as replanting forests
- Seeking out alternatives to fossil fuels – such as renewables
After all, it is far better not to emit carbon in the first place, than to capture carbon which is already in the atmosphere.
How can CCS help prevent global warming?
CCS plays a valuable role in helping to prevent global warming. It does this by capturing climate-warming greenhouse gases that would otherwise be pumped out into the air from industrial sources, and safely storing the carbon that these contain, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By preventing CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere, CCS plays its part in preventing global warming.
Can capturing carbon onboard decarbonise shipping?
While well-established in land-based and offshore settings, the use of carbon capture technology onboard vessels is still a relatively new concept. Despite this, onboard carbon capture has already proven itself to be an effective decarbonisation tool particularly as it enables the continued use of well-established maritime fuels. While onboard CCS technology is technically feasible, there are still several considerations which must be taken into account when assessing the extent to which capturing carbon onboard will decarbonise shipping:
- Commercial performance when compared to alternative decarbonisation measures, including the system cost, regulation, and competitive landscape.
- The vessel design and layout needed to integrate carbon capture and treatment systems with other existing onboard systems.
- Scaling up the necessary Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) infrastructure around the world.
In conclusion, while onboard carbon capture can be safely implemented, further development and optimisation of the related technology and infrastructure is needed for the maritime industry to use this technology at a scale which would significantly decarbonise shipping.
