Oil, coal and natural gas will remain the world’s dominant sources of energy over the next decades, with resulting carbon dioxide emissions set to increase to unsustainable levels. However, technologies that help reduce CO2 emissions from fossil fuels can reverse this trend. CO2 capture and storage (CCS) is particularly promising. CCS takes CO2 from large stationary sources and stores it in deep geological layers to prevent its release into the atmosphere.

At their Gleneagles summit in 2005, G8 leaders asked the IEA to advise on alternative energy scenarios and strategies aimed at a “clean clever and competitive energy future”, and to work on accelerating the development and commercialisation of CCS.

CO2 Capture and Storage: A Key Carbon Abatement Option responds to the G8 request. The study documents progress toward the development of CCS:

· Capture, transportation and storage technologies and their costs
· Storage capacity estimates
· Regional assessment of CCS potential
· Legal and regulatory frameworks
· Public awareness and outreach strategies
· Financial mechanisms and international mechanisms

The IEA study discusses also the role of CCS in ambitious new energy scenarios that aim for substantial emissions reduction. This publication elaborates the potential of CCS in coal-fuelled electricity generation and estimates for capture in the industry and fuel transformation sectors. Finally, it assesses the infrastructure needed to process and transport large volumes of CO2.

With an updated roadmap of CCS development needs in the near and long term, this publication equips decision makers in the public and private sector with essential information that is needed for accelerating its demonstration and deployment in a sustainable manner.