FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is CCS?
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a technology designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO₂). CCS works by capturing CO₂ emissions before they are released into the atmosphere. Once captured, CO₂ is transported to suitable storage sites, typically deep underground geological formations, where it is securely stored to prevent its release into the atmosphere. By curbing emissions from hard-to-abate industrial processes like cement manufacturing, CCS mitigates the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on the environment and serves as a proactive measure to address climate change.
How safe is storing CO₂ underground?
The storage of CO₂ in geological formations, including oil and gas reservoirs, unmendable coal seams, and deep saline reservoirs, is safe. The 2005 Special Report on CCS by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that appropriately selected and managed geological reservoirs are ‘very likely’ to retain over 99% of the sequestered CO₂ for longer than 100 years and ‘likely’ to retain 99% of it for longer than 1000 years. The site selection and safety assessment are ensured through the CCS Directive[1], which is the legal framework for safe geological storage of carbon dioxide in the EU and EEA countries.
In addition, CCS technology has a proven track record spanning over 50 years. With approximately 300 million tonnes of CO₂ successfully captured and stored underground, and 29 operational CCS facilities worldwide capturing and storing 40 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, CCS has emerged as a significant technology in mitigating climate change.
[1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32009L0031
Why CCS is important for hard-to-abate industries?
CCS is crucial for hard-to-abate industries because it offers a viable solution for reducing emissions in sectors where traditional emissions reduction methods are challenging. Industries such as cement manufacturing have high levels of CO₂ emissions that are difficult to eliminate completely due to the nature of their processes. CCS provides these industries with a means to capture and store CO₂ emissions, thereby significantly reducing their carbon footprint and helping them transition to a low-carbon future. Without CCS, achieving emissions reduction targets in these hard-to-abate industries would be considerably more challenging, making CCS an essential tool in the fight against climate change.
What is the IFESTOS project schedule?
IFESTOS was launched in January 2024, with all necessary formalities for construction slated for completion by June 2026. The carbon capture installation is scheduled to be operating by December 2029, and within its first year of operation, is projected to reduce CO₂ emissions by 1.9 million tons annually.