India draws roadmap for carbon capture, utilisation, storage

India will chart out by this fall a roadmap for climate sustainability and transition to net zero for limiting global temperature rise between 1.5 to 2oc from preindustrial levels.

It is reliably learnt that Government of India (GOI) and its energy missions are working closely with the Niti Aayog and other ministries, emphasising the critical role of Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS). Companies that made presentations along with top officials of the Niti Aayog said that the GOI made it clear to all stakeholders that CCUS was especially important for decarbonizing the hard to abate industrial sector, as well as large parts of the power generation sector, which would continue to use fossil fuels for at least the next few decades.

“The Indian government realises reaching net zero and stabilising atmospheric CO2 concentration between 450-750 ppmv (parts per million by volume) for limiting global temperature rise between 1.5 to 2oc is not possible without CCUS,” Atanu

Mukherjee, CEO of Dastur Energy, told this reporter in a telephonic interview from the United States.

Globally, power and industry account for about 65% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) encompass technologies to remove CO2 from the flue gas and from the atmosphere, followed by disposition of the CO2 through utilisation or determining safe and permanent storage options, thereby reversing its negative impacts.

“The government realises the change will not happen overnight but a sincere effort needs to be made. Fossil fuels will stay for a fairly long period but the shift to green energy is inevitable. So the government is working towards it,” said Mukherjee.

Enabling circular carbon economy (CCE), the technology helps manufacturers capture carbon at the point of emission, i.e., chimneys, and trap carbon dioxide using chemical and physical processes, for reuse in the production of fuels (methanol), plastic components, fire extinguishers, pharma, soda ash, food and drinks, building materials and agriculture.

Emerging innovations in this area include artificial photosynthesis using bio-solar leaves and phytoplankton-based solutions that mimic the chemical process of photosynthesis. Mukherjee said the carbon captured is stacked and stored deep inside geological formations such as exploited oil and gas wells. “CCUS technologies can play an important role in meeting net zero targets, and are one of the key pathways to reduce emissions while continuing to develop sustainably at an