{"id":155724,"date":"2025-02-17T19:33:44","date_gmt":"2025-02-17T14:03:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=155724"},"modified":"2025-02-17T19:33:44","modified_gmt":"2025-02-17T14:03:44","slug":"carbon-capture-and-sequestration","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/carbon-capture-and-sequestration","title":{"rendered":"Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A study in<\/span><b> Environmental Science &#038; Technology<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reported that CCS technologies are significantly<\/span><b> more expensive than switching to renewable energy.<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Policies promoting CCS for CO\u2082 reduction in 149 countries would cos<\/span><b>t 9-12 times more than transitioning to wind, water, and solar power.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>About Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS)<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-155703 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/175-67b331d2dd9fd.webp\" alt=\"Carbon Capture and Sequestration\" width=\"403\" height=\"333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/175-67b331d2dd9fd.webp 771w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/175-67b331d2dd9fd-300x248.webp 300w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/175-67b331d2dd9fd-768x635.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 403px) 100vw, 403px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Definition:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A technology that captures CO\u2082 emissions from large sources such as\u00a0 refineries, power plants\u00a0 and stores them underground.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Difference from Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CCS prevents CO\u2082 from entering the atmosphere.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDR removes CO\u2082 already present in the atmosphere.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Types of Carbon Sequestration<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ocean Sequestration:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Injecting CO2 directly into the deep ocean or fertilizing the ocean with nutrients to enhance biological productivity and carbon uptake.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Terrestrial Sequestration:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Storing carbon in plants, soils, and other terrestrial ecosystems through afforestation, reforestation, and sustainable agricultural practices.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Geological Sequestration:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Injecting CO2 into deep underground geological formations, such as depleted oil and gas reservoirs or saline aquifers, for long-term storage.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>CCS Process<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Capture: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CO\u2082 is captured from power plants and industries like steel and cement.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Transport:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> CO\u2082 is compressed into liquid form and transported to underground storage sites.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stored in saline aquifers or depleted fossil fuel reservoirs for long-term containment.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Storage<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: CO\u2082 is injected into deep underground formations such as saline aquifers or depleted oil and gas reservoirs.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-155695 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/176-67b331d17d9af.webp\" alt=\"Carbon Capture and Sequestration\" width=\"402\" height=\"326\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/176-67b331d17d9af.webp 691w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/176-67b331d17d9af-300x243.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 402px) 100vw, 402px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Capture Techniques<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Post-combustion:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Uses chemical solvents to separate CO\u2082 after fossil fuel combustion.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Pre-combustion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Captures CO\u2082 before combustion by converting fossil fuels into <\/span><b>synthetic gas and hydrogen.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Oxyfuel combustion:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Burns fossil fuel with pure oxygen, producing CO\u2082 and water vapor, which is then separated and captured.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Most Efficient Method:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Oxyfuel combustion, but requires <\/span><b>high energy input<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for oxygen burning.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>IPCC AR6 Report Findings on Effectiveness of CCS<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDR should be used <\/span><b>only to counterbalance hard-to-abate emissions <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rather than support continued fossil fuel use.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CCS should be considered only when <\/span><b>capture efficiency is 90-95%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or more and<\/span><b> emissions are stored permanently.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Methane leakage from fossil fuel production<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> must remain<\/span><b> below 0.5% (ideally 0.2%) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for CCS to be effective.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>About &#8220;Panchamrit&#8221; action plan<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>The Panchamrit Action Plan unveiled by India at COP26, outlines five key commitments to combat climate change:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Non-fossil energy capacity: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reach 500 GW by 2030.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Renewable energy: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meet 50% of energy requirements with renewables by 2030.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Carbon emissions reduction: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduce total projected emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Carbon intensity: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduce the economy&#8217;s carbon intensity by 45% by 2030 (from 2005 levels).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Net-zero emissions: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Achieve net-zero emissions by 2070.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) Centres in India<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India is exploring and developing<\/span><b> CCUS technologies and projects,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> though large-scale deployment is still in its early stages.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The two Centres, namely the <\/span><b>National Centre of Excellence in Carbon Capture and Utilization (NCoE-CCU) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, <\/span><b>Mumbai<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the <\/span><b>National Centre in Carbon Capture and Utilization (NCCCU) at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are being set up.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These centres will likely play a significant role in capturing CO2 from industrial sources, utilizing it for various purposes, or storing it safely underground.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Challenges of CCS<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>High Cost:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> CCS deployment is significantly more expensive than transitioning to renewable energy sources, making it a less economically attractive option.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The study found CCS policies could be <\/span><b>9-12 times more costly<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> than renewable energy transitions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Continued Fossil Fuel Reliance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> CCS can create a justification for continued fossil fuel use, potentially hindering the necessary shift to cleaner energy sources. Critics argue it offers &#8220;room to pollute.&#8221;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Technological Maturity:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> While CCS technology exists, large-scale, cost-effective implementation faces challenges and requires further development.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Storage Concerns:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Secure, long-term storage of captured CO2 is crucial, and potential risks associated with leakage or geological instability need careful consideration.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Way Forward\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Targeted Applications:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Focus CCS on industrial sectors with difficult-to-abate emissions, like cement or steel production, where alternatives are limited.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Policy Support:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Incentivize CCS research, development, and deployment through targeted policies, including carbon pricing mechanisms.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Innovation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Invest in research to improve CCS efficiency, reduce costs, and develop novel approaches like direct air capture.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Public Engagement:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Address public concerns about CCS safety and long-term storage through transparent communication and community involvement.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6375%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 111.19%; 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