Category: CCSA News

Olivia Powis, CEO of the CCSA said,

“The 2050 net zero target is firmly rooted in science and based on the impact to the climate of unabated greenhouse gases. Research by the IPCC—the global authority on climate science – shows net zero by mid-century is essential to limit warming to 1.5°C and inaction will result in catastrophic economic, social and environmental costs.

The claim that climate action harms growth is false: studies prove decarbonisation drives prosperity. The CCSA’s own research shows that the Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) sector alone will add £94bn to the UK economy by 2050, create over 50,000 skilled jobs and unlock £26bn in private investment. And recent analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit and the CBI shows the UK’s net zero economy is already growing significantly faster than the economy as a whole—three times faster—demonstrating that clean growth is not just possible, but already underway.

By transitioning to a low-carbon economy, the UK will foster innovation, enhance competitiveness and increase productivity. For critical foundational industries such as cement to build homes and chemicals to make fertilisers for food production, net zero represents an opportunity to compete in the low-carbon products market and keep operations in the UK.  

The Government must now build on recent progress by progressing Track-1 expansion, advancing Track-2 selections and supporting all other viable clusters on a similar timeline.

Net zero isn’t a cost—it’s an opportunity. It’s how we secure clean growth, resilient jobs and long-term competitiveness.

Notes to Editor

Interview requests: To interview Olivia Powis, CEO of the CCSA, please contact sa********@************on.org
For a briefing call on CCUS, please contact Sara Price on 07825235313 / sa********@************on.org
Press Pack: An FAQ, infographics and an animation accompany the press release for use. Download the press pack from the CCSA website under “CCSA Press Pack” here.

About the CCSA

CCUS, or Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage, is a key low carbon solution – vital to meeting the UK’s statutory Net Zero target at least cost. CCUS enables industrial decarbonisation as well as the production of clean power, clean products (such as cement and chemicals) and clean hydrogen – which can also be used to decarbonise industry. In addition, CCUS also enables greenhouse gas removal from the atmosphere through Direct Air Capture with Storage (DACS) or Bioenergy with CCS (BECCS).

The CCSA is the trade association accelerating the commercial deployment of CCUS, with offices in the UK and Belgium. We work with members, governments and other organisations to ensure CCUS is developed and deployed at the pace and scale necessary to meet net zero goals and deliver sustainable growth across regions and nations.

The CCSA currently has over 120 member companies who are active in exploring and developing different applications of carbon capture and removals, CO2 transportation by pipeline and ship, utilisation, geological storage, and other permanent storage solutions, end-users in the power, industry, waste management, fuels, and hydrogen production sectors, plus supply chain, engineering, construction and management, legal and financial consulting sectors.

Today the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) published the Independent Review of Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGRs), chaired by Dr Alan Whitehead CBE. The review considers how GGR options – including large-scale power bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS), and waste to energy with carbon capture and storage (WECCS) – can support the UK in meeting its net zero targets out to 2050.

Olivia Powis, CEO of the CCSA, said:

“Today?s publication of the Independent Review of Greenhouse Gas Removals marks a pivotal moment for the UK?s net zero transition. GGRs, including BECCS, DACCS, and WECCS, are essential technologies to remove residual emissions from hard-to-abate sectors, support industrial decarbonisation and maintain a reliable, low-carbon energy system.

The Review, led by Dr Alan Whitehead, provides a clear pathway to scale these solutions, and success will depend on finalising a credible GGR business model, enabling investment certainty and ensuring CO2 transport and storage infrastructure is in place.

The UK has a real opportunity to cement its position as a global leader in high-integrity carbon removals, thanks to its large CO2 storage capacity, existing CCUS infrastructure, advanced low-carbon technology expertise and a supportive policy and regulatory environment that can attract private investment and accelerate deployment.

We look forward to working with Government and industry to accelerate GGR deployment, helping the UK capture at least 5?Mtpa of engineered removals by 2030, rising to 23?Mtpa by 2035. This will support economic growth, energy security and help us to achieve our climate goals. With global demand for GGR credits growing – nearly 10?million purchased worldwide – the UK has a clear opportunity to lead in high-integrity carbon removals.?

Today the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) published the Independent Review of Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGRs), chaired by Dr Alan Whitehead CBE. The review considers how GGR options – including large-scale power bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS), and waste to energy with carbon capture and storage (WECCS) – can support the UK in meeting its net zero targets out to 2050.

Olivia Powis, CEO of the CCSA, said:

“Today?s publication of the Independent Review of Greenhouse Gas Removals marks a pivotal moment for the UK?s net zero transition. GGRs, including BECCS, DACCS, and WECCS, are essential technologies to remove residual emissions from hard-to-abate sectors, support industrial decarbonisation and maintain a reliable, low-carbon energy system.

The Review, led by Dr Alan Whitehead, provides a clear pathway to scale these solutions, and success will depend on finalising a credible GGR business model, enabling investment certainty and ensuring CO2 transport and storage infrastructure is in place.

The UK has a real opportunity to cement its position as a global leader in high-integrity carbon removals, thanks to its large CO2 storage capacity, existing CCUS infrastructure, advanced low-carbon technology expertise and a supportive policy and regulatory environment that can attract private investment and accelerate deployment.

We look forward to working with Government and industry to accelerate GGR deployment, helping the UK capture at least 5?Mtpa of engineered removals by 2030, rising to 23?Mtpa by 2035. This will support economic growth, energy security and help us to achieve our climate goals. With global demand for GGR credits growing – nearly 10?million purchased worldwide – the UK has a clear opportunity to lead in high-integrity carbon removals.?

The recent publication of nine low-carbon and renewable options for Grangemouth marks an important step towards transforming the region into a green manufacturing hub.

With a £7.5 billion investment needed to transform the site, CCUS will be key to successfully delivering these projects – including the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and the development of green hydrogen facilities to support the UK’s net zero ambitions.

To ensure the success of these initiatives, the rapid deployment of CCUS technologies is vital. CCUS will play a crucial role in decarbonising industrial heartlands like Grangemouth, facilitating the transition of highly skilled jobs into the low-carbon economy. By leveraging the UK’s expertise from the North Sea oil and gas sector, we can solidify our position as a global leader in climate action.

Read our UK Director, Mark Sommerfeld’s, full statement below:

“We welcome publication of the nine low-carbon and renewable options for Grangemouth’s future. CCUS has an important role to play in the successful delivery of these projects. In order to decarbonise industrial heartlands like Grangemouth and transition highly skilled jobs into the low-carbon economy, it’s critical that capture projects are rolled out at speed.”

“This allows the UK to build on the expertise gained from North Sea oil and gas sector and secure the UK’s position as a global leader in climate action.”