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In what seems to be a reality check not only for the U.K. but also for the world, leading climate scientists from the U.K and U.S. have urged the U.K. government to pause plans for a huge investment in ‘blue hydrogen’ and ‘carbon capture’ technologies highlighting that they are unproven and might even make it harder for the country to reach net zero targets.
Earlier, the new Labour government in the U.K. had pledged to invest £1 billion in carbon capture, usage, and storage (CCUS) technology focusing on producing blue hydrogen and capturing carbon emissions from new gas-fired power plants.
In a letter to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, scientists argue that carbon capture technology is unproven and would lead to significant emissions of CO2 and methane, both of which contribute heavily to the climate crisis.
“We strongly urge you to pause your government’s policy for CCUS-based blue hydrogen and gas power, and delay any investment decision into the Track 1 programme until all the relevant evidence concerning the whole-life emissions and safety of these technologies has been properly evaluated. Currently, this policy would lock the UK into using fossil fuel based energy generation to well past 2050. In particular given declining North Sea gas supplies it would lock the UK into increasing Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) imports,” the group of scientists wrote in the letter.
The concerns raised suggest that the UK’s focus on carbon capture and hydrogen production may have long-term negative consequences:
Fossil Fuel Dependency: Investing heavily in carbon capture and blue hydrogen (which relies on natural gas) could extend the country’s reliance on fossil fuels for decades, contradicting the broader goal of transitioning to renewable energy.
Methane Emissions: The process would likely lead to significant upstream emissions from methane leaks, which are highly potent greenhouse gases. These leaks could occur during the extraction, transport, and processing of liquefied natural gas (LNG), particularly from imports like those from the US.
Reliance on Unproven Technology: The production of hydrogen through natural gas, combined with carbon capture and storage (CCS), is seen as problematic. Many similar projects around the world have been discontinued due to technical or financial difficulties, raising doubts about the viability and scalability of the technology.
Safety Concerns: There is a risk to public safety if leaks occur in the infrastructure used to transport captured carbon. An example is a US incident where a CO2 pipeline leak led to the hospitalisation of 45 people, highlighting the potential danger such technology poses if not properly managed.
David Cebon, a professor of mechanical engineering at Cambridge University, was quoted by The Guardian as saying that the government should be 100% focused on reducing carbon emissions through proven technologies and CCUS technology had “a very poor track record for reducing emissions” and came “with significant health, safety and cost risks”.
He added, “The CCUS projects (inherited from the previous government’s cosy relationship with the fossil fuel industry) will do precisely the opposite. They will lock the UK into significantly higher gas consumption for the next 30-50 years and will increase energy costs, at taxpayers’ expense.”
The International Energy Agency (IEA) had reportedly stated that the oil and gas industry is relying excessively on carbon capture to reduce emissions called the approach “an illusion.”
Multiple CCS projects in countries like Norway and Canada had to be paused for financial reasons. A $1 billion project to harness carbon dioxide emissions from a coal plant in Texas, U.S. had regular mechanical problems and continued missing its targets before it had to be shut down in 2020.
What is the Indian government’s take on it?
Earlier, in a written response to a question from YSRCP MP Ayodhya Rami Reddy Alla, Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh had said that India needs substantial climate finance, technology transfer, and strong international collaboration to implement carbon capture, usage, and storage (CCUS) on any significant scale.
“The economic, technical and political feasibility of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) is highly uncertain. Retrofitting existing thermal power generating units for CCUS implementation is not a viable option, until the technology is cost-effective and less energy-intensive,” the minister had said.
The NITI Aayog has reportedly established four committees to address the challenges related to Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) implementation in India and create guidelines on carbon dioxide standards, storage, transportation, and utilisation, as part of India’s goal for net-zero emissions by 2070.
References:
Interactive: Labour government’s in-tray for climate change, energy and nature
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