Model Answer
0 min readIntroduction
Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) refers to a suite of technologies that prevent large quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from entering the atmosphere. This process involves capturing CO2 from major point sources like power plants and industrial facilities, transporting it, and then either reusing it as a resource or storing it safely and permanently underground. As global efforts intensify to combat climate change and achieve net-zero targets, CCUS has emerged as a crucial technology, particularly for decarbonizing sectors where emission reduction is challenging through conventional means. It is considered an essential component of comprehensive climate action strategies worldwide.
What is Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS)?
CCUS is a technological process designed to reduce atmospheric CO2 concentrations by intervening at various stages of the carbon cycle. It comprises three primary steps:
- Capture: This involves separating CO2 from other gases produced at large industrial facilities (e.g., coal and natural-gas-fired power plants, steel mills, cement plants, refineries) or directly from the atmosphere through Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology. Key capture methods include post-combustion, pre-combustion, and oxy-fuel combustion.
- Utilization: The captured CO2 can be used as a resource to create valuable products or services. This includes enhanced oil recovery (EOR), production of fertilizers, synthetic fuels, chemicals, and building materials (e.g., injecting CO2 into concrete).
- Storage: If not utilized, the captured CO2 is compressed and transported, typically via pipelines, ships, or trucks, to suitable geological formations for long-term isolation. These formations usually include deep saline aquifers, depleted oil and gas reservoirs, or unmineable coal seams, often at depths of one kilometre or more.
Potential Role of CCUS in Tackling Climate Change
CCUS is recognized as a vital emissions reduction technology that can significantly contribute to global energy and climate goals, including achieving net-zero emissions. Its potential roles include:
- Decarbonizing Hard-to-Abate Industries: Sectors such as cement, steel, and chemical production inherently release CO2 during their manufacturing processes (process emissions) and from fuel combustion (thermal emissions). CCUS offers one of the few viable pathways to significantly reduce emissions from these industries, which are difficult to electrify or transition to other low-carbon fuels.
- Producing Low-Carbon Energy: CCUS can be integrated with power plants (coal, gas, biomass, waste-fired) to generate low-carbon electricity. It also plays a crucial role in producing low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia, which can serve as clean fuels and industrial feedstocks, replacing fossil fuels in various applications, including long-haul transport and heavy industry.
- Enabling Carbon Removal: When CO2 is captured from bio-based processes (Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage - BECCS) or directly from the atmosphere (Direct Air Capture - DAC), CCUS technologies enable "negative emissions" or carbon removal. This is crucial for offsetting residual emissions from sectors that are exceptionally difficult to decarbonize and for actively reducing atmospheric CO2 concentrations.
- Supporting Energy Security: By allowing the continued, albeit decarbonized, operation of existing energy infrastructure and heavy industries, CCUS can contribute to energy security and economic stability during the transition to a net-zero economy.
Challenges and Global/Indian Context
Despite its potential, CCUS faces challenges such as high capital and operational costs, energy intensity, the need for extensive CO2 transport infrastructure, and ensuring the long-term integrity of storage sites. Globally, as of spring 2024, over 1000 carbon capture projects are in various stages, with 228 operational. The U.S. and Brazil led global carbon capture capacity in 2023. India is actively pursuing CCUS, with NITI Aayog proposing a comprehensive policy framework by the end of 2024, focusing on industry clusters, financial incentives, and R&D. India aims for a CCUS capacity of 750 million metric tons per year by 2050 to support its net-zero target by 2070. On December 2, 2025, India launched its first R&D Roadmap for CCUS to support its net-zero targets.
Conclusion
Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage is a multifaceted technological approach critical for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and achieving ambitious climate targets, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors. By capturing CO2 at the source, utilizing it in various industrial processes, or storing it geologically, CCUS offers a pathway to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of global economies. While technical, economic, and regulatory hurdles remain, advancements in CCUS, coupled with supportive policy frameworks and international cooperation, are essential for its widespread deployment. As India and other nations accelerate their climate action, CCUS is poised to play an increasingly indispensable, albeit complementary, role in the transition towards a sustainable, low-carbon future.
Answer Length
This is a comprehensive model answer for learning purposes and may exceed the word limit. In the exam, always adhere to the prescribed word count.