Government Declares CCUS As Unviable For Upgrading Existing Thermal Power Plants

The economic, technical and political feasibility of carbon capture, utilisation and storage remains highly uncertain, making it an unviable option for retrofitting existing thermal power-generating units at present, the government has informed Parliament.

In a written response to a question from YSRCP MP Ayodhya Rami Reddy Alla, Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh told the Lok Sabha that India requires considerable climate finance and technology transfer with effective international collaboration to implement CCUS on any significant scale.

"The economic, technical and political feasibility of CCUS is highly uncertain. Retrofitting existing thermal power generating units for CCUS implementation is not a viable option, until the technology is cost-effective and less energy-intensive," the minister said.

CCUS refers to a suite of technologies designed to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions from large-point sources, such as power plants, refineries and other industrial facilities, or to remove the existing CO2 from the atmosphere.

When not used on-site, the captured CO2 is transported by pipeline, ship, rail or truck for use in various applications or injected into deep geological formations, such as depleted oil and gas reservoirs or saline aquifers.

CCUS can be retrofitted to existing power and industrial plants, allowing their continued operation. It is particularly effective in addressing emissions from hard-to-abate sectors, such as heavy industries like cement, steel or chemicals.

Singh noted that climate change is a global problem caused not only by current greenhouse gas emissions but also by historical emissions, primarily contributed by developed countries.

"Even though India's per capita GHG emissions are minimal, the country is committed to addressing the challenge with firm adherence to multilateralism, considering national circumstances and based on equity and the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC), as enshrined in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)," the minister said.

He added that developed countries must take the lead in reducing their GHG emissions and in providing finance, technology and capacity-building support to developing countries.