Gas CCS deployment 'requires new impetus'

Fresh regulatory action and financial incentives are needed to make sure the gas-fired power plants that will be built during Europe's 'dash for gas' can be retrofitted with carbon capture technology (CCS), according to a new report. The report, commissioned by the European Climate Foundation, makes a series of recommendations to the European Commission, the five biggest EU states – Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the UK – Norway and the Netherlands. These countries are likely to be the first to have CCS capacity. From 2012 onwards, they must require comprehensive assessments of CCS readiness for all new gas-fired plants, say the authors of the report from UK-based thinktank Green Alliance. The EU CCS directive's approach to CCS readiness is too 'lightweight', said Green Alliance senior policy adviser Chris Littlecott.