Policy and Membership

The Status of CCS

In support of its mission to be a centre of excellence for CCS knowledge, each year the Institute releases an annual review of global project developments and the drivers behind them. This annual report then serves as a reference point for Members and the broader CCS community.

The Global Status of CCS: 2010 was developed over several months, and then published in March 2011. This report serves as the only comprehensive source of information on CCS, integrating developments from ground-level project establishment through the policy and regulatory frameworks that support projects – including storage and transport issues – to community engagement activities.

The release of the Global Status of CCS: 2010 report was supported by widespread media engagement, specific speaking engagements across four continents, and an internet campaign that engaged 23 respected members of the CCS community to actively contribute to the Institute’s website through blogs on specific issues identified in the report.

More than 3,500 copies of the Institute’s Global Status of CCS: 2010 report were downloaded within five months of its release.

Costs of CCS

To support and develop transparency regarding CCS cost estimation, the Institute published an economic assessment of carbon capture and storage technologies in March 2011. This report provides information on the costs of incorporating CCS into electric power plants with a variety of capture technologies, using a range of transport and storage systems across 11 different regions in the world. Estimates of costs for industrial applications to steel, cement and fertiliser production were also provided.

The Institute also worked with the IEAGHG, the IEA, Zero Emissions Platform (ZEP) and two of the leading academic experts in CCS, Howard Herzog of MIT and Ed Rubin of Carnegie Mellon University to form the ‘CCS Costs Network’. This Network brings together around 50 of the world’s leading experts on costing CCS technologies from capture through transport. As part of this group, the Institute is now working to develop a common terminology and framework for cost estimates, including how to characterise variability and uncertainty, as well as how to improve communication of cost estimates and their characteristics to all stakeholders.

Capacity Development

The Institute’s capacity development activities continue to focus on developing countries, helping to build an ‘enabling environment’, addressing the many different barriers to CCS deployment, and developing appropriate in-country expertise.

A Member-based Capacity Development Steering Group was established to help guide these activities. The Steering Group is chaired by Dr Leena Srivastava, a member of the Institute’s International Advisory Panel (IAP). Based on analysis of relevant criteria and advice from the Steering Group, the Institute identified six ‘countries of focus’ for the capacity development program: China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and South Africa. Active engagement with these countries is now underway.

Substantial progress has been made in developing and implementing an integrated and tailored capacity development program for Malaysia. The Institute, in partnership with the Malaysian Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water (KeTTHA) and the Clinton Climate Initiative, produced a Malaysia CCS Scoping Study which was formally handed over on 24 January 2011. In addition, a CCS Capacity Assessment has been completed and the first stage of a tailored work program has been developed.

In support of South Africa’s work towards a test injection project, the Institute sponsored and facilitated a South African delegation of policy, legal and non-government representatives to visit Australia in mid-2011. The focus of the trip was to learn about the CO2CRC’s experience in running a test injection demonstration project in Australia.

There was also significant progress in the capacity development programs of the Institute’s Strategic Partners. As part of the Institute’s financial contribution towards the ADB CCS Trust Fund, it is supporting CCS scoping studies in Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Representatives from these countries gave an update on this work at the CCS Ready Workshop in Manila in June 2011. The Institute is working closely with the ADB on the development of this work in Indonesia, and working closely with relevant ministries to identify areas where the Institute can support the deployment of CCS in Indonesia.

As part of its ongoing support of the IEAGHG, the Institute sponsored their CCS Summer School, held in Norway in August 2010. The Institute also provided ten scholarships to early career professionals and post graduate students from the Asia-Pacific region to attend the CO2CRC’s CCS School held in Brisbane in July 2010.

Member Engagement: Australia

The Institute is supporting the CarbonNet initiative being coordinated by the Department of Primary Industries in Victoria. A key focus of the CarbonNet work is around building the business case for a network approach. The Institute is also working closely with the Collie Hub project, which has been established to examine the options for CCS in the South West of Western Australia. These involvements are particularly relevant from a global perspective, as hub-type concepts are influencing the development of several proposed CCS projects. The Institute is in discussions with a number of other projects and organisations in Australia on supporting capture and storage-related work scopes.

In February 2011, the Institute held a series of events to share North American project lessons with Australian Members. Over 100 representatives from government, industry and the research and diplomatic community attended workshops in Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra.

In April 2011, lessons from the Rotterdam Climate Initiative (RCI) were shared with Australian Members at workshops in Australia (Melbourne, Canberra and Perth) which was followed by workshops in Korea and Japan.

The Institute supported a Community Consultation Workshop at the Collie Hub project in February 2011, which was implemented by the CSIRO. This workshop resulted in a number of significant improvements in participants’ self-rated knowledge of climate change and related issues, as well as discussion around the benefits of the project to the local community.

The Institute supported the National CCS Council in the coordination and facilitation of a Communications Network, by establishing and hosting a digital communications platform and assisting with its operation. This network can help stimulate collaboration and exchange of information between member and project proponent communication managers, as well as create a capacity to proactively and creatively deal with issues likely to be raised by the public or to prepare and participate in public events.

Membership Engagement: North Asia

The Institute is continuing to build its Membership base in North Asia, and to strengthen ties and share knowledge among this group.

Japan

The Institute is supporting studies being undertaken by a consortium between the private sector and academia, headed by the Chiyoda Corporation, towards a study of shuttle-type CO₂ ship transport, including engineering and design studies of the required equipment, and regulatory considerations on the transportation of CO₂ in nearby sea waters.

The Institute is also supporting a University of Tokyo study to undertake a comprehensive review on all of the CO₂ shipping activities that are currently underway around the world.

The Institute hosted several events and visits for Japanese stakeholders, including J-Power, JCoal, JBIC, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nippon Steel, Chiyoda Corp, and the University of Tokyo. This engagement provided an important opportunity to gain insight into Japan’s priorities in developing clean coal technology. The Institute also held several workshops and meetings in Japan, well attended by Japanese Members across government, industry and industry associations. This included a workshop on Stakeholder Engagement which was held in Tokyo in November 2010.

In April 2011, the Institute held a meeting in Tokyo for Japanese Members which attracted 75 representatives from all of Japan’s Member organisations. Presentations were made on the Rotterdam Hub Project Overview, Summary of Japan Regional Profile, CO₂ Shipping update, Shuttle Shipping Feasibility Study and the Japanese Knowledge Platform. Members were provided the opportunity to comment on the presentations and have their feedback incorporated into Institute work plans.

Korea

The Institute hosted two large Korean delegations in 2010. The Institute held a workshop in Seoul in April 2011 in conjunction with the RCI, which was attended by over 40 people representing Korean Members and the organisations represented by the Korea CCS Association (KCCSA). Key themes were the current status and future development of regulatory and incentive (financial) systems that enabled the development of projects. On 23 May 2011, the Institute negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding with the KCCSA, to strengthen the cooperation between the Institute and Korea in knowledge sharing and collaboration in support of the demonstration and commercialisation of CCS technologies and the regulatory/policy infrastructure for the industry and government. The KCCSA was established by Korea’s top 20 energy, steel and engineering companies and will be a conduit for Institute stakeholder engagement in Korea.

China

The Institute continued its active engagement in the China market, with a number of important reports being produced.

The Feasibility of CCS Readiness in Guangdong Province is the first annual report for a three-year project which will ultimately produce a roadmap for CCS Ready in Guangdong Province and provide policy recommendations for CCS implementation. This project is an initiative of the UK Government and is co-funded by the Institute.

CCS in Developing Countries: Analysis of Key Policy Issues and Barriers was completed by the ADB under the CCS Trust Fund. This report examined CCS barriers in developing countries, focusing on China and the financing issue in particular. The report also examines related Intellectual Property issues and trade barriers.

Policy, Legal and Regulatory

In late 2010, the Institute actively participated in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 16th Conference of Parties (COP16), hosted in Cancun, Mexico. This was the first time the Institute attended such proceedings, joining many of its Members who also take an active interest in the progress and outcomes of international climate change negotiations. The Institute’s effort in Cancun resulted in not only lifting its profile as a credible international advocate for CCS in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), but also enhanced its understanding of how CCS could be positioned in a post-2012 architecture. In February 2011, the Institute formally expressed its views on CCS under CDM to the UNFCCC through its submission process.

The Institute hosted several side events at COP16 (attracting ministers and internationally-renowned expert presenters), and collaborated with many organisations including the IEA, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), IEAGHG and World Resources Institute. Topics ranged from the need for CCS, to profiling what countries are doing, and exploring the use of CO₂ with biomass.

The Institute also engaged high-level international media around CCS, including Reuters, The Economist and major Norwegian broadcast agency NRK. IAP Member Lord Stern of Brentford, Kt, FBA hosted a dinner for a number of ministers and lead negotiators at the climate talks.

The Institute has been active in both analysing liability issues around CCS, and in supporting jurisdictions that are developing appropriate legislation and regulations. The Institute worked as a member of a consortium developing an approach to estimating information on risks and liability based around real world projects. The consortium includes industry representatives, such as Chevron and Southern Company, governments, including Alberta (Canada) and Wyoming (US), as well as civil society organisations such as the World Resources Institute and the Natural Resources Defense Council. This work is anticipated to be released in the second half of 2011.

The Institute also provided advice to the State Government of New South Wales (Australia) in developing their Regulatory Framework for Greenhouse Gas Injection and Storage, particularly around liability issues.

The Institute supplemented its development of a definition on ‘CCS Ready’ from early 2010 with an issues paper published in November 2010 setting out the key elements necessary to support implementing the definition.

The Institute is also actively engaged with a number of governments considering implementing a CCS Ready policy and ran a CCS Ready Workshop in association with the ADB’s Clean Energy Forum in Manila in June 2011.

A Regulatory Test Toolkit was published in February 2011 to provide assistance to regulators in developing early-stage regulatory regimes. The toolkit was developed in conjunction with Edinburgh University and builds upon a test exercise to assess the existing regulatory and consenting framework for CCS in Scotland.

The toolkit can be applied by governments anywhere, enabling them to determine present regulatory ability and what is further required to enable the deployment of CCS technology in a regulatory-efficient manner. The toolkit exercise embodies a regulatory simulation or ‘dry-run’ of a real or simulated CCS scheme, thereby tracking the approvals processes for a project from the initial planning stages, through the operational phase, and into the decommissioning period.

The Institute continues to roll out the toolkit process, targeting a number of jurisdictions worldwide throughout 2011 and 2012.