Carbon capture and storage (CCS) perpetuates and incentivises the use of fossil fuels while failing to address the environmental and human impacts associated with their extraction and use. There are still many uncertainties associated with the technology and experience with the long-term storage of CO2 is extremely limited. The energy penalty associated with CCS is large: the additional energy used for the capture ranges from 15-40% of energy output, in other words 15-40% more fuel is necessary to produce electricity with CCS than without.
CDM Watch and many other NGOs worked tirelessly to prevent CCS from being allowed in the CDM. However Parties decided in Cancun in 2010 to allow CCS projects in the CDM. In Durban in 2011 the rules for CCS (called ‘modalities and procedures’) were approved (download them here.)
