Syrie Crouch, VP CCS at Shell

Three weeks from COP26 could Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) finally be set to fulfil its potential?

I believe so – but only if we move now. CCS is a passport to decarbonising heavy industry and unlocking the full potential of hydrogen production. A CCS economy could create thousands of jobs from England’s Teesside to Scotland’s Forth Valley and inject billions into the UK economy.

And the UK government recognise this too. “A necessity, not an option” is how the UK Committee on Climate Change described it.

The UK Chancellor said it was “precisely the kind of exciting technology where Britain can lead the world over the next decade”.

So why wait? Today I have called for even greater ambition.

In a panel debate at the Carbon Capture and Storage Association annual conference, I suggested that the UK aims for 30 million tonnes per annum (MTpa) of carbon captured and stored in the UK by 2030. This is three times more than set out in the UK government’s 10 Point Plan.

Why? Because commitment brings investment. Investment brings scale. Scale brings opportunity. And opportunity means change.

Now I recognise 30 MTpa is effectively one of the most challenging pathways laid out even in government scenarios. But it would signal beyond doubt that the UK really is serious on becoming a CCS world leader…attracting more investment, enabling the production of hydrogen and the growth of industrial cluster.

As the map below shows, Shell is among the companies, standing and ready to deliver big capital investment projects here in the UK as per the example below but also the wider world.

So how could we ramp up ambition? Here are four ways:

1. Present clear and complete business models that give the confidence and line-of-sight for more long-term investment
2. Forge the path towards a more liberalised market in CCS to attract greater investment in the North Sea
3. Ensure that the UK has sufficient offshore capacity to store CO2
4. Help create markets for CCS-enabled products such as low-carbon steel

The UK has well-understood offshore geology. It has existing gas infrastructure ready to start storing. It has a highly-skilled workforce ready to make this work. Now it needs renewed policy direction to bring it all together.

30 MTpa by 2030. Or “30 by 30”.

We have talked about CCS for years. We know it has a critical role to play in the UK’s journey to net-zero. The time is now. Let’s transform ambition to action.

Energy Country Review: Shell Netherlands country profile