CCS in the European Energy Transition to Climate Neutrality

Abstract

The transition of the European energy system to reach climate neutrality by 2050 will require a development and deployment of technologies capable of decarbonizing the energy system in an unprecedented scale. Increased sector integration through electrification and system-wide application of hydrogen necessitates the coherent consideration of all energy sectors for transition planning and facilitation through an improved policy framework. The Hydrogen for Europe study has applied energy system models to analyse the potential role of hydrogen in all sectors, and in coexistence with electricity and other energy carriers. The current work focuses on the role of CCS as it emerged from this analysis, and how limitations in deployment rate of CCS impacts the energy transition. It was shown that limits on both the annual CO2 injection rate and minimum usage of renewable energy significantly affects the chosen route for hydrogen production.