“It’s urgent to make CO2 capture and storage become a reality,” says Chris Davies, a British Liberal Democrat who is a Member of the European Parliament and its Environment Committee.

“If we are to have the 10-12 full-scale demonstration plants that the EU has decided should be built up and running by 2015, we must hurry up,” says Chris Davies, who is a Member of the Environment Committee of the European Parliament.

“If we are to have the 10-12 full-scale demonstration plants that the EU has decided should be built up and running by 2015, we must hurry up,” says Chris Davies, who is a Member of the Environment Committee of the European Parliament.

Chris Davies is impatient. He wants action. He wants to see the directive adopted in record time before the European elections in June 2009. “The European Parliament and Council of the EU have to find rapid agreement on the proposals from the Commission,” he says. He was recently appointed as a Reader to the Parliament for a directive on the geological storage of CO2 (the ‘CCS directive’), following a proposal by the European Commission. The CCS directive aims at allowing and regulating the capture of CO2 from industrial installations and its storage into suitable geological formations. On 23 January 2008, the Commission submitted a package of implementation measures for the EU's objectives on climate change and renewable energy, which includes this directive.
“We don’t have much time,” Chris Davies states. “If we are to have the 10-12 full-scale demonstration plants that the EU has decided should be built up and running by 2015, we must hurry up. Even more so since the need for energy will just keep on increasing, and very many countries will then have to use coal- or gas-fired power plants that do not treat CO2. This means the situation will become even worse before we can hope to reach a turning point and the laborious work of CO2 capture and storage can start.”
He can see bright spots, both in the UK and in Norway, which he believes is at the forefront of both the political and technological developments in this area. The Netherlands is also supportive. In addition, he is very pleased that France has now fully joined the team, and he points to the joint UK-France declaration following a summit earlier this year.

Supported by Sarkozy and Brown
President Sarkozy and Prime Minister Brown state that they will together undertake joint work to accelerate the development and deployment of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) in the EU through an agreement on a CCS Action Plan during the French EU Presidency.
“We call for the Commission to bring forward a proposal for a mechanism to deliver 10-12 demonstration plants by 2015,” say the two heads of state, who round off their common statement on Climate Change and Energy by declaring that “We agree to work together to promote CCS both inside and outside the EU, notably in China, through accelerating the ‘cooperation action within CO2 capture and storage’ and the Near Zero Emissions Coal Initiative .”

No way back in 20 years
“Yesterday!” replies Chris Davies when we ask for the ideal date by which the demonstration plants should be built.
“We’re already on overtime,” he says. “I’ve spent most of my time during the past few months to get knowledge. I am in no doubt: we have to start now. In 20 years’ time, there will be no way back. We have most of the technology, but we lack financing. We also still need a lot of political willingness to get this done.”
Chris Davies has the task of gathering facts for the members of the Environment Committee, sharing knowledge and ensuring their support. He has talked to a lot of people both outside and inside his busy Brussels office.

The technology is here
“The row of lobbyists, politicians, firms, NGOs and others that have visited me to put their views forward, has been endless.
I really appreciate that,” he says. “That gives us an even surer foundation on which to make our decisions. I’m keen to get started. The final recommendation will be submitted to the EU Parliament this summer. The prime ministers of the countries in question have to go to their own industries and ask them to start work. Aker, Bechtel, Mitsubishi and others have the technology. Now it’s up to us politicians to ensure the financial foundation and give the go-ahead. Once the quota trading starts, the enormous auction revenues that Member States are expected to receive as from 2013 under the EU emission trading system, will provide sufficient funds for investing in the facilities we need. The total price of the test facilities is estimated to be Euro 11 billion. I will propose making the CO2 treatment and storage mandatory for all energy production,” says an impatient but optimistic Chris Davies.

Date: 2008-06-13