The role for Carbon Capture and Storage in climate change mitigation. Sir Mark Walport, Chief Scientific Adviser to HM Government

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1 The role for Carbon Capture and Storage in climate change mitigation Sir Mark Walport, Chief Scientific Adviser to HM Government

2 We have evidence to show that emissions are rising and so are temperatures Credit: IPCC Credit: NOAA and IPCC The role for Carbon Capture and Storage in climate change mitigation

3 It will be difficult to stay within 2 degrees C 3 The The findings role for of Carbon the IPCC Capture and implications and Storage for in science climate and change technology mitigation in support of climate change and energy policy

4 What if our emissions were visible? New York s daily carbon dioxide emissions (2010 figures) shown as metric ton spheres of CO 2 (at standard pressure) Credit: Carbon Visuals 4 The role for Carbon Capture and Storage in climate change mitigation

5 Government has legislated and set targets to reduce emissions and ensure mitigation and adaptation Ambitious targets to reduce emissions Climate Change Act (2008) requires emissions cuts by at least 80% by 2050 relative to 1990 levels, and by at least 34% by 2020 Binding carbon budgets An accountability framework Ensuring the resilience of UK plc Five-year carbon budgets set three budget periods ahead; first ones already set in legislation cover period Set the trajectory towards the 2020 and 2050 targets, and ensure that cumulative emissions are limited. A requirement for Government to publish policies and proposals for meeting the carbon budgets The independent Committee on Climate Change to advise Government on level of budgets and how to meet them, and to scrutinise delivery through annual progress reports to parliament. Every five years assess the risks for the UK of the current and predicted impacts of climate change, and publish plans and policies to adapt to climate change risks identified Powers to require public bodies to assess and report on plans to address climate risks within sectors 5 The role for Carbon Capture and Storage in climate change mitigation

6 Million Short tons How well have we decarbonised our electricity sector? Coal MW (36.8%) Gas MW (30.3%) World coal consumption Nuclear 6900 MW (15.8%) Wind 2700 MW (6.1%) French IC 2000 MW (4.6%) 8,000 4,000 Dutch IC 1000 MW (2.3%) Other 700 MW (1.6%) 0 Hydro 660 MW (1.5%) Storage 420 MW (1.0%) Irish IC 0 MW (0.0%) Coal is likely to remain a major part of global fuel supply into the future. East-West IC 0 MW (0.0%) Oil 0 MW (0.0%) Source: GridCarbon (electricity supply as of 05/03/14 12:35) and US EIA (coal consumption) 6 The role for Carbon Capture and Storage in climate change mitigation

7 It s also difficult to decarbonise some industrial processes Industrial CCS offers a way to reduce emissions from: iron and steel industries, cement, oil refining and chemical sectors. This is particularly promising where the industrial process itself produces CO 2, as in some chemical reactions. 7 The role for Carbon Capture and Storage in climate change mitigation Image credit: DECC, The Future of Heating: A Strategic framework for low carbon heat in the UK

8 So, CCS plays a crucial role in many global energy scenarios to meet a 2 degrees C limit CCS is one of very few options to maintain the value of fossil fuels whilst reducing emissions. CCS is also the only large scale industrial sector emissions reduction technology. In fact, the International Energy Agency estimates that CCS could be responsible for 14 % of cumulative global emissions reductions from compared to a business as usual approach. In fact, the IEA estimates that CCS could be responsible for 14 % of cumulative global emissions reductions from compared to a business as usual approach. 8 The The findings role for of Carbon the IPCC Capture and implications and Storage for in science climate and change technology mitigation in support of climate change and energy policy

9 Challenges and opportunities: carbon capture and storage Challenges Full scale CCS remains unproven so far Possible public distrust of new, unproven technologies and/or safety concerns about long-term storage No market Opportunities CCS of global interest, allows fossil fuels to continue as part of the energy mix high export potential Vast potential resource offshore Bioenergy and CCS together could actually reduce net emissions Useful by-products like hydrogen 9 The role for Carbon Capture and Storage in climate change mitigation

10 Where is CCS currently or to be demonstrated? Quest, Canada Oil sands processing facility, storage in onshore deep saline formation Sleipner, Norway Natural gas field in North Sea, storage in offshore deep saline formation. Boundary Dam, Canada Post-combustion, coal power station, enhanced oil recovery Kemper County, USA Pre-combustion Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC), coal power station, enhanced oil recovery Future Gen 2.0, USA Oxy-fuel combustion, coal power station, storage in onshore deep saline formation. A few examples shown here but these are not exhaustive and there are many more proposed or established projects. White Rose, UK Oxy-fuel combustion, coal power station, storage in offshore deep saline formation. Peterhead, UK Post-combustion, CCGT power station, storage in offshore depleted gas reservoir. 10 The role for Carbon Capture and Storage in climate change mitigation

11 Will CCS be commercially viable? There are many unanswered questions What complexities are involved with integrating capture and storage? What will this do for the growth of UK industry? How will we engage the public to communicate these issues clearly? How will technologies improve over time? What innovations might be possible? How does this vary with: locations, types of storage, types of industries? What are the health hazards and long-term carbon implications for transport and storage? 11 The role for Carbon Capture and Storage in climate change mitigation

12 What are the policy responses? Mitigate Adapt Suffer 12 The role for Carbon Capture and Storage in climate change mitigation

13 There will be costs of innovation but what are these against the costs of climate change? Image credit: kloniwotski, Flickr Image credit: The Examiner 13 The role for Carbon Capture and Storage in climate change mitigation