Experts on Carbon Capture and Use launch “Include CCU in RED” petition in EU
In Germany, a group of experts are petitioning European decision makers involved in the revision of the Renewable Package to include six crucial mechanisms in the legislation.
The authors argue that Carbon Capture & Utilization (CCU) technologies will play a crucial role in the future renewable energy system and for climate protection. CO2 is not just another raw material, intermediate or waste; in terms of volume, it is the most important greenhouse gas. When being processed with renewable energy, CO2 is an infinite resource for producing fuels and chemicals with a high potential for climate protection. When speaking about this combination of CCU with renewable energy as the only energy source to reduce CO2, the term renewable CCU or rCCU has recently been coined.
The authors note that from CO2 and H2, a wide range of fuels and chemicals can be produced by catalytic processes such as methanisation, methanol synthesis (and further processes) or Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. CCU technologies also include biotechnology processes with bacterial systems, algae, cyanobacteria and synthetic biology for example. The different microorganisms process CO2 using different sources of energy and produce a wide range of fuels and chemicals.
The petition calls on decision makers to acknowledge that the European Union cannot afford to miss or to delay the deployment of this new option to utilize and store renewable electricity, which is to extend the applications for renewable energy to renewable fuels and sustainable chemistry. The European Union should become the leader in rCCU, not only in research and development, but especially in applying and fully utilizing the potential.
Category: Policy
