Energy

What is carbon capture and storage?

Carbon capture and storage (CCS), also known as carbon dioxide geosequestration, is a way of reducing the contribution of fossil fuel emissions to global warming.

Burning fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and oil releases carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHG) to the atmosphere adding to the potential for climate change.

The CSS process is based on capturing carbon dioxide from stationary emission sources such as power stations, industrial facilities, or natural gas production and injecting it deep underground as a dense fluid into geological formations, preventing it from entering the atmosphere.

One of the most critical factors in geological storage is identifying rocks with suitable pore volumes for storage and cap rocks for sealing.

How is carbon capture and storage used in Australia?

The Australian Governments supports a range of initiatives and policies to accelerate the development and deployment of CCS in Australia.

These include the:

• Clean Energy Future—includes $2 billion to support the construction and demonstration of two to four large scale CCS projects from 2015 under the CCS Flagships Program
• National Low Emissions Coal Initiative —includes support for the CCS Flagships Program and the National Carbon Mapping and Infrastructure Plan
• Carbon Storage Taskforce—promotes prioritisation of and access to, national geological storage capacity and associated infrastructure requirements needed to accelerate deployment of CCS in Australia
• Commonwealth CCS Legislation—the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006
• —the world’s first national legislation enabling CO2 storage—provides a framework for access and property rights for the geological storage of greenhouse gases such as CO2 in Commonwealth offshore territory
• Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute (GCCSI)—in 2009, the Australian Government established the GCCSI to address barriers, and accelerate deployment of industrial scale carbon dioxide capture, transport, and storage technologies globally.

How is RET involved?

The Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism (RET) is responsible for the CCS Flagships Program, designed to accelerate the development and demonstration of CCS technologies.

RET is also responsible for the National Low Emissions Coal Initiative, the National CO2 Infrastructure Plan and the Global CCS Institute.

More information

For more information about the use of carbon capture and storage in Australia, read the Australian Energy Resource Assessment (see Related documents).

Related documents

• Australian Energy Resource Assessment—Chapter 5: Coal [PDF 2.93MB]