Macroeconomic Challenges
Investments, Infrastructure and Incentives: Keys to CCUS Development
The development of CCS represents a significant but essential investment for reducing industrial emissions. It requires the establishment of complex infrastructure: capture systems, CO₂ transport networks, and secure storage sites. At the European level, it is estimated that approximately 7,300 km of CO₂ transport networks will be needed by 2030.
For these investments to be viable, several conditions must be met:
- sufficiently large volumes of captured CO₂,
- proximity between emission sites and storage or utilization areas,
- an integrated approach to the value chain.
The CCUS development will therefore be prioritized in regions with geological storage capacity and where CO₂ utilization projects, such as e-fuels, are encouraged.
Finally, the economic viability of this sector will heavily depend on the price of carbon. In Europe, the Emissions Trading System (ETS) serves as a key driver, as do the economic incentives established to support CCUS projects.
Technological Challenges
Accelerating the industrialization of CCUS
For CCUS to become a sustainable solution in the fight against climate change, it is essential to make its technologies more efficient and accessible. This involves improving CO₂ capture systems in industrial flue gases, reducing installation costs, ensuring the safe underground storage of CO₂, and exploring innovative uses such as its conversion into synthetic fuels.
Certain parts of this technological chain, such as CO₂ capture, storage or utilization, are already mature or in the demonstration phase through industrial pilot projects. It is essential to accelerate the deployment of these pilot projects to validate the entire chain, demonstrate feasibility at an industrial scale, and foster the emergence of the first operational solutions.