How BECCS can help deliver Europe’s 2040 industrial carbon removal targets

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Euractiv or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) could play a pivotal role in the EU’s strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, with a focus on meeting the 2040 industrial carbon removal targets
• By retrofitting existing biomass plants with BECCS, the EU could potentially meet 2040 goals, removing 80 Mt CO₂ annually, with a clear pathway to exceed this target in the future

🔭 The context: The EU is committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050, which will require significant carbon dioxide removals (CDR)
• BECCS, already a mature technology, enables biomass facilities to capture and store biogenic CO₂, effectively turning them into net-negative emissions producers
• The European Commission’s 2040 climate target underscores the importance of industrial carbon removal, with BECCS seen as one of the most feasible solutions

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: BECCS offers a scalable solution to reduce carbon emissions while maintaining renewable energy production
• By retrofitting existing biomass plants, BECCS could meet a large portion of the EU’s 2040 carbon removal targets without requiring extensive new infrastructure
• However, for BECCS to scale, the EU must ensure stable regulation, streamline investment processes, and build necessary CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure

⏭️ What's next: The EU needs to prioritize clear regulatory frameworks and de-risk investments in BECCS to unlock its full potential
• Public support and education on BECCS will be crucial to gaining trust and increasing deployment
• If these conditions are met, BECCS could be a key player in achieving the EU’s carbon removal goals for 2040 and beyond

💬 One quote: "Deploying BECCS can make a significant contribution to Europe’s 2040 carbon removal targets, without requiring unrealistic scaling or entirely new infrastructure." — Bioenergy Europe

📈 One stat: If 38% of existing biomass plants were retrofitted with BECCS, the EU could meet its 2040 carbon removal target of 80 Mt CO₂ annually

Explore carbon credit purchases, total emissions, and climate targets of thousands of companies on Data Hub™ — the first platform designed to help sustainability providers generate sales leads!

Click for more news covering the latest on carbon removal