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Understanding barriers to commercial-scale carbon capture and sequestration in the United States: An empirical assessment

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  • Davies, Lincoln L.
  • Uchitel, Kirsten
  • Ruple, John

Abstract

Although a potentially useful climate change mitigation tool, carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) efforts in the United States remain mired in demonstration and development. Prior studies suggest numerous reasons for this stagnation. This article empirically assesses those claims. Using an anonymous opinion survey completed by 229 CCS experts, we identified four primary barriers to CCS commercialization: (1) cost and cost recovery, (2) lack of a price signal or financial incentive, (3) long-term liability risks, and (4) lack of a comprehensive regulatory regime. These results give empirical weight to previous studies suggesting that CCS cost (and cost recovery) and liability risks are primary barriers to the technology. However, the need for comprehensive rather than piecemeal CCS regulation represents an emerging concern not previously singled out in the literature. Our results clearly show that the CCS community sees fragmented regulation as one of the most significant barriers to CCS deployment. Specifically, industry is united in its preference for a federal regulatory floor that is subject to state-level administration and sensitive to local conditions. Likewise, CCS experts share broad confidence in the technology's readiness, despite continued calls for commercial-scale demonstration projects before CCS is widely deployed.

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  • Davies, Lincoln L. & Uchitel, Kirsten & Ruple, John, 2013. "Understanding barriers to commercial-scale carbon capture and sequestration in the United States: An empirical assessment," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 745-761.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:59:y:2013:i:c:p:745-761
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2013.04.033
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    1. van Alphen, Klaas & van Voorst tot Voorst, Quirine & Hekkert, Marko P. & Smits, Ruud E.H.M., 2007. "Societal acceptance of carbon capture and storage technologies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(8), pages 4368-4380, August.
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    Cited by:

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    7. Olabi, A.G. & Obaideen, Khaled & Elsaid, Khaled & Wilberforce, Tabbi & Sayed, Enas Taha & Maghrabie, Hussein M. & Abdelkareem, Mohammad Ali, 2022. "Assessment of the pre-combustion carbon capture contribution into sustainable development goals SDGs using novel indicators," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    8. Jonathan Paul Marshall, 2022. "A Social Exploration of the West Australian Gorgon Gas, Carbon Capture and Storage Project," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 4(1), pages 1-24, February.
    9. Ismail Ismail & Vassilis Gaganis, 2023. "Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage in Saline Aquifers: Subsurface Policies, Development Plans, Well Control Strategies and Optimization Approaches—A Review," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-29, May.
    10. Fikru, Mahelet G. & Azure, Jessica W.A., 2023. "Renewable energy technologies and carbon capture retrofits are strategic complements," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).

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