Carbon Capture and Storage

This book focuses on issues related to a suite of technologies known as “Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS),” which can be used to capture and store underground large amounts of industrial CO2 emissions. It addresses how CCS should work, as well as where, why, and how these technologies should be deployed, emphasizing the gaps to be filled in terms of research and development, technology, regulations, economics, and public acceptance.

The book is divided into three parts. The first part helps clarify the global context in which greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can be analyzed, highlights the importance of fossil-fuel producing and consuming nations in positively driving clean fossil-fuel usage, and discusses the applicability of this technology on a global and regional level in a timely yet responsible manner. The second part provides a comprehensive overview of present and future technologies for the three elements of the CCS chain: CO2 capture, transport, and geological storage. The third part addresses the key drivers for CCS deployment worldwide. It provides analysis and assessment of the economic, regulatory, social, and environmental aspects associated with CCS development and deployment on a global scale. It offers a somewhat different perspective on CCS deployment by highlighting the environmental and socio-economic costs and benefits of CCS solutions compared to alternatives.

The book concludes with potential options and guidelines for sustainable and responsible CCS scale-up as a way to address prevailing global energy, environment, and climate concerns.