Behind and Beyond CCS: Alleged “Barriers” and Carbon Plantation

Only 0.7% (28/4000): 28 million tonnes of CO2 currently captured per year by the 15 large-scale CCS projects need to increase to 4,000 million tonnes in 2040 to achieve the 2°C goal. We are repeatedly told that “CCS is essential,” “CCS plays a vital role,” or “CCS is currently the only available technology” to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from industrial processes. Then, why only 0.7%? We are also told that there are three major “barriers” to CCS deployment: technical challenges, cost, and public acceptance. Are these “barriers” the convincing reason for 0.7%? In straightening the issues of CCS in the context of climate change mitigation, the alleged “barriers” are found more perceived than real. Instead, lack of seriousness and status quo bias appear to be the material reasons for the slow deployment of CCS. Also discussed in the talk are some unique attempts in research and development; a cost-effective, labor-saving, risk-saving technique for monitoring CO2 migration using Earth tides and an innovative technology for establishing a subterranean carbon plantation where stored CO2 is converted to CH4, a recycled energy source.

Speaker: Kazo Sato, Univ. of Tokyo