Abby L. Harvey
GHG Monitor
2/20/2015
The importance of the development of large-scale carbon capture and storage demonstration projects within the European Union is set to be included in the European Commission’s Communication for a Strategic Framework for an Energy Union to be presented next week, according to a Jan. 30 draft of the document released by the environmental group Bellona this week. “Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is necessary to reach the 2050 climate objectives in a cost efficient way and to support the security of supply in the EU. Promoting the transition towards clean coal technologies requires further research, development and demonstration support. A maximum of four large-scale CCS demonstration projects could be expected to be operational in the EU by 2020, far behind the 2007 plan to have 12 demonstration plants by 2015. Further efforts at EU and Member State level, especially in demonstration and research, are needed,” the draft says.
The Energy Union strategy addresses the need for advancement in CCS within a portion of the framework that calls for increased research and investment. “As more and more technological breakthroughs take place outside the EU, and as Europe risks losing its industrial leadership in some energy-related areas, the Commission will help our industry to keep or regain global technological leadership in low-carbon technologies. Our energy dependence should not be turned into technology dependence. The Commission recommends that investments are better focused on high-added value innovation (such as electricity storage or home automation) rather than on the deployment of mature technologies,” the draft says.
This goal of increased technological innovation will be supported through the launch of various new program, as well as renewed support for existing programs. “The European Commission will set up a multi-disciplinary scientific initiative for defining deep decarbonisation pathways and transition scenarios for Europe in the timeframe 2030-2050. In parallel to traditional funding models, it will consider the use of inducement prizes for innovation, which could particularly appropriate in an area as cross-cutting as the Energy Union,” the document states. “It will also present a communication on a reinforced [Strategic Energy Technology]-Plan, laying the basis for improved coordination of R&I investments at different levels, including at regional level, and for the development of joint flagships projects in areas where cooperation has a clear added value. This should pave the way to a common R&I agenda, identifying specific challenges and technologies as well as opportunities for a better alignment of research programmes.”
According to the political guidelines of EC President Jean-Claude Juncker, the Energy Union is being developed because “Europe relies too heavily on fuel and gas imports. We need to reduce this dependency while keeping our energy market open to countries outside the EU. Therefore we need to pool our resources, combine our infrastructures and unite our negotiating power with third countries. We owe it to future generations to limit the impact of climate change and to keep energy affordable – by using more energy from renewable sources and becoming more energy efficient."
