CCUS: From scepticism to solutions

Technology-neutrality, collaboration and lessons from existing projects will help the industry achieve the large-scale growth the world needs

As somebody who works on the delivery of CCUS projects every day, it is fair to say I am familiar with the critiques levelled at the sector. From questions of financial viability, delivery challenges and scaling-up, right through to the ‘get out of jail free’ accusation as it relates to fossil fuels, these criticisms range widely, both in their subject and ferocity. However, the conclusion of many critics—that CCUS should be resisted as an option—is outdated. To remain aligned with the IEA’s target indicator for its sustainable development scenario, 5,635mt/yr of carbon dioxide will need to be captured globally by 2050—more than total US CO₂ emissions in 2022. So, if CCUS projects are critic