The Potential for “Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS)” in Countering Global Warming

CCS Implementation Theory

Part of CCS has already reached a level of commercialization. Specifically, the U.S. possesses an extremely large number of thermal power plants located near depleted oil fields, and thus the underground storage aspect of CCS would be useful as an immediate CO2 countermeasure. It is also quite possible that CCS will likewise become a method for fulfilling Kyoto Protocol goals, and thus allow countries to sell CO2 emissions credits to other countries. However, for Japan, China, and Korea, the potential for underground storage is very poor, and thus CCS does not seem to be particularly beneficial in regards to this point. In response to this, joint research on “marine (ocean floor) storage” is currently underway.

If CCS is implemented as a means to stabilize the concentration of GHGs, the scenario for preventing global warming will also change. It would also be possible to revise the assumed 2100 GHG stabilization level of 550 ppm to an even lower concentration. At last fall's IPCC session as well, the U.S. and the Netherlands (representing the EU) announced a revised and lowered CO2 stabilization level of 450 ppm that incorporated the use of CCS.

At the same time, it is important to note that the participation of China and India in making rules and standards for a post-Kyoto Protocol framework is crucial. Japan, as one member of the Asian community, will be able to respond to the 450 ppm stabilization scenario proposed by the U.S. and Europe. It is important, however, to make sure that China's and India's participation in a post-Kyoto Protocol framework will not become a hindrance to sustainable high economic growth. Now, more than ever, it is time for Japan to take the lead in creating two-phase rules and standards designed separately for developed and developing nations, and to promote a joint Asian proposal to safeguard the global environment.

Key Points from the IPCC Report Summary

CCS consists of a series of processes in which the CO2 produced by high energy-consumption industries, such as the electric power, oil refining, chemicals, steel, and cement industries, is captured and shipped via pipeline or boat to a storage location in order to keep it stored away from the atmosphere for a long period of time.

There are many other mechanisms proposed for preventing global warming, including those that also reduce SOx, NOx, and other GHGs in addition to CO2, such as shifting to strategies that improve energy efficiency via energy saving technologies, utilizing “biosinks” such as forests, or switching to green fuels (with low CO2) like atomic energy or reusable energy. For its part, CCS offers the potential to reduce the total cost of global warming prevention, and thus makes it easier to effectively reduce GHG emissions.

The outline of the report summary is as follows:

The Advantage of CCS in the U.S.

Were CCS to be introduced, however, there are various factors that influence whether or not it will spread. For example, the diffusion of CCS is dependent on a country's potential in various aspects, such as in technological maturity, cost and the presence of depleted oil fields (for countries like Japan, China, Korea and India that have no oil fields, there is little leeway for underground storage), as well as countries' responses to regulations, environmental impact, and the expansion of the acceptance of certain technologies. For example, Greenpeace and other organizations are strongly critical of marine storage of CO2, arguing that it will “greatly impact marine ecosystems” and “at some point, the CO2 will return to the atmosphere”.

In terms of technological maturity, the technology necessary for storing and transporting captured CO2 via pipelines from power generation plants near depleted oil fields, chemical plants, and other such locations to storage sites at depleted oil fields has already been commercialized. Additionally, from a cost perspective as well, thought it was once thought that costs could not fall below US$100 per ton of CO2, the fact that it is now possible for costs to reach a US$25-30 level represents a great leap forward. At the same time, marine storage and underground storage of coalbed methane has not yet been surveyed and is only now in the empirical testing phase. It will still be some time before these mechanisms will become usable.

In this way, CCS has already partially reached a level of commercialization. Further, the US and the EU (represented by the Netherlands), where storing the CO2 from heat generation facilities in nearby depleted oil fields will provide swift benefits, are already expressing support for the implementation of CCS.

Additionally, if the cost of CCS reaches US$25-30 per ton of CO2, the gap between the costs of reducing CO2 and the trading value of CO2 emissions credits, which has currently risen to US$30 per ton of CO2, will also be reduced.

A Japan-China-Korea Joint Research Proposal for Marine Storage

Compared to Europe and the U.S., Asia has been slow in forming a consensus regarding standards for global warming countermeasures. In addition to the scarcity of fossil fuels in Asia, there are several other factors that have contributed to this, including: 1) In countries like China and India, where until recently unit energy consumption (by GDP and per capita) was extremely low, rapid economic growth has resulted in the inability to respond to CO2 emissions standards, 2) With the exception of Japan, the creation of systems necessary for a recycling society are delayed, 3) Asian countries, including Japan, have little capacity for underground storage.

With this point in mind, it is crucial that Japan-which is in charge of the world's sixth largest exclusive economic zone-take the lead in investigating the technological maturity, costs, and environmental impact of marine storage (including ocean floor storage). It is also important that Japan consider cooperation with Korea, where a research center has already been established with over four billion yen in funding raised over ten years.

Considering the issue in this light, the first step toward creating a joint Asian (including India) proposal for post-Kyoto Protocol standards should consist of joint research regarding “Marine Storage in CCS” by Japan, China, and Korea, countries that not only are poor in fossil fuels but also in the potential for underground storage.