What is Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) ? What is the potential role of CCUS in tackling climate change ? (Answer…

Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) is an emissions-reduction pathway involving the capture of CO₂ from industrial sources (via pre-combustion, post-combustion, or oxy-fuel methods), its transport via pipelines or shipping, and either its permanent geological storage (or mineralization) or productive utilization. Unlike conventional CCS, which solely traps CO₂ underground, CCUS recycles captured carbon into economic value streams such as synthetic fuels, building materials, and enhanced oil recovery (EOR).

Role in Tackling Climate Change

• Decarbonizing Hard-to-Abate Sectors: It provides a critical mitigation solution for heavy industries like cement, steel, and thermal power, where process emissions cannot be eliminated through electrification alone.
• Negative Emissions: Coupled with Direct Air Capture (DAC) or Bioenergy (BECCS), CCUS actively removes legacy CO₂ from the atmosphere to achieve net-negative targets.
• Anchor for India’s Net-Zero 2070 Goal: For India's coal-reliant grid, CCUS bridges energy security with decarbonization, demonstrated by NTPC’s carbon-capture-to-methanol pilot at Vindhyachal.

Despite its potential, CCUS faces hurdles of high capital costs, parasitic energy penalties, and long-term storage integrity risks. Overcoming these requires dedicated policy incentives, viable carbon pricing, and scaled R&D to establish CCUS as an indispensable pillar of global climate action.