Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is "a promising technology" but one that still needs further research before it is supported via specific legislation, argues the European electricity industry association, Eurelectric, in a position paper released on 7 June.
"Eurelectric believes that it would be premature to impose at this stage mandatory introduction of CCS by 2020, an idea raised by the European Commission in its January Strategic Energy Review package."
Instead, Eurelectric believes that CCS should be allowed to compete "on a level playing field" with other low-carbon power-generation technologies and urges EU lawmakers to include it in the EU’s CO2 cap-and-trade scheme.
In its January package, the Commission put forward proposals to promote "sustainable power generation from fossil fuels" with the aim of achieving "a low CO2 fossil-fuel future" by 2020.
"Today, the Commission believes that by 2020 all new coal-fired plants should include CO2 capture and storage technologies and existing plants should then progressively follow the same approach."
The Commission’s objective is to support the development of 12 large-scale demonstration plants by 2015 and provide a "clear perspective" for coal and gas-fired power plants in a carbon-constrained energy future.
"The concern is not only about climate change, it is also about Europe's security of energy supply", the Commission said, pointing out that coal and gas accounted for more than 50% of the EU's electricity supply and would therefore remain an important part of the energy mix.
The oil indsutry is currently pioneering CCS technology with the largest project involving the injection of liquid CO2 to force more oil out of a field in the North Sea. The project, which is supported by the governments of Norway and Great Britain, is due to be phased in by 2010 by companies Shell and Statoil.
In February, French oil major Total announced the launch of a project to inject 150,000 tonnes of liquid CO2 into a depleted natural gas field in Rousse (Pyrenees) over a period of two years as from end-2008.
The Commission is expected to issue a policy paper on CCS in the Autumn.
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