Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) technology involves the capturing of CO2 emissions and their permanent storage underground. In 2021, the Government set out an ambition in its Net Zero Strategy for four CCUS clusters capturing 20 to 30 million tonnes of carbon per annum by 2030. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) established a goal in 2023 of establishing a commercial and competitive CCUS market in the UK from 2030.
The Committee scrutinised carbon capture and storage in 2017, warning at the time that, despite spending £168 million, the then-Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) had failed to support the construction of the UK’s first large-scale carbon capture and storage projects. It further found that delays in deployment meant the UK had missed opportunities to be at the forefront of a growing global industry, and damaged investors’ confidence in working with the government on carbon capture and storage in the future.
The National Audit Office’s (NAO) reported in 2024 on DESNZ’s implementation of the CCUS programme, with £20 billion in funding over the next 20 years confirmed by HM Treasury in 2023. It noted that while Government expects the technology to play a significant role in achieving net zero by 2050, there is not yet any CCUS infrastructure operating at a commercial scale in the UK.
Based on the NAO report, the Committee will take evidence from senior DESNZ and Treasury officials, with likely focuses including:
- costs and benefits of the CCUS programme;
- progress in implementation; and
- longer-term deployment.
Please look at the requirements for written evidence submissions and note that the Committee cannot accept material as evidence that is published elsewhere.
If you have evidence on these issues please submit it here by 23:59 on Thursday 28 November 2024.