What is CCS?

Carbon dioxide can be captured directly from industrial chimneys and either reused in subsequent production processes or permanently stored deep underground to prevent its release into the atmosphere. This suite of techniques is known as Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS), an acronym which includes both Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). In addition to supporting decarbonization, both these strategies offer the advantage of turning the climate change challenge into an economic asset, potentially opening up new avenues for growth and job creation. They are particularly useful for the “hard-to-abate” sectors, i.e. energy-intensive industries where, due to their high energy demand and specific operating characteristics, there are currently no viable technological alternatives that can reduce emissions in an efficient and cost-effective way. Examples of hard-to-abate sectors include steel, cement, paper and chemicals.

Both carbon capture and utilization (CCU) and carbon capture and storage (CCS) start with a capture stage where carbon dioxide is extracted directly from the chimneys of large industrial plants and isolated from other gases it is mixed with. Once captured, the CO₂ is compressed to facilitate transport, typically by pipeline, or alternatively by sea or road. At this point we have purified, concentrated carbon dioxide, which can be reused other industrial processes as “raw material” or permanently stored deep underground. The former process is known as CCU and the latter as CCS. One application of CCU is the mineralisation of CO₂ with natural mineral phases, with the resulting compounds used in cement production. CCS, on the other hand, involves injecting CO₂ into deep geological formations, such as depleted hydrocarbon fields or saline aquifers, selected after detailed geological and technical assessments. Using these depleted fields offers significant advantages, as it allows us to use well-known geological structures, allowing accurate predictions to be made about the distribution of CO₂ within them. In addition, reusing existing infrastructure makes it possible to create fast-track, low-cost projects, applying circular economy principles to decarbonization. The methodologies underpinning CCS are reliable and mature, based on lessons learned from underground natural gas storage - a technique Italy has been using for its strategic reserves since 1964, in compliance with the highest safety standards.