A cross-industry alliance for the promotion of Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCU/S) has been launched with the founding of the „Deutsche Carbon Management Initiative“. According to the founding members SEFE, OGE, Gasunie, Uniper and Höegh Evi, leading companies in the gas and hydrogen industry, the aim is to „promote a socio-economically viable carbon management strategy in Germany and improve the political and economic framework conditions for Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCU/S)“.
„The decarbonisation of industry is one of the greatest challenges of our time. We must use all available technologies to reduce difficult and unavoidable CO2 emissions and at the same time ensure the competitiveness of the German economy“, says Dr Timm Kehler, Chairman of Gas- und Wasserstoffwirtschaft e. V. Carbon management is an important building block in this process.
SEFE, OGE, Gasunie, Uniper and Höegh Evi, which have extensive experience in the areas of infrastructure, trading and storage, intend to „drive forward the development of an efficient CO2 value chain in Germany“. This ranges from „CO2 capture and transport to permanent and safe geological storage and export or use“. The intended change in the „public perception of CCU/S as a clean-tech solution“ should lead to a reduction in regulatory hurdles. Compared to countries such as Norway, Denmark or the Netherlands, where carbon management programmes are already a reality, there is a lack of a uniform legal framework in Germany.
However, political work is not the only focus of the initiative: a „platform for dialogue between emitters, infrastructure operators, climate protection and environmental associations, politicians and scientists“ is also planned.
Germany's climate targets can only be achieved „with CO2 capture, storage and utilisation“, Kehl continues, which will also help to preserve energy-intensive industries. „We now need to strengthen acceptance for this topic in dialogue with all stakeholders. The outgoing government has prepared important groundwork. We welcome the fact that the CCU/S issue was also included in the CDU/CSU and SPD's exploratory paper and, as an initiative, we want to actively and competently support the upcoming coalition negotiations.“
