The US continues to lead the field in carbon capture and storage with both the number of active facilities and the 131 projects it plans to implement by 2040, the latest data from Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute reports reveals.
Having established the world’s first carbon capture and storage facility in 1972, it has continued unabated since then. Last year, it increased the number of planned projects and those under construction by 73 compared to 2022, figures compiled by Anadolu from Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute shows.
Carbon emissions resulting from thermal power plants, factory chimneys and fossil fuel use are currently stored in 43 facilities in various parts of the world.
Approximately 65 million tons of carbon emissions are prevented from reaching the atmosphere annually due to these 43 facilities worldwide.
With 15 facilities in operation, the US ranks first in the world, followed by China with 12 active facilities, Canada with seven facilities, and Norway with two facilities.
The other seven carbon capture and storage facilities are located in Hungary, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Australia, Qatar and Iceland.
With the development of carbon capture and storage technologies, countries aim to reduce global emissions and limit the air temperature to 1.5 degrees, in line with the Paris Agreement.
There are currently 21 facilities under construction globally, which are expected to be completed by 2027.
Of the projects under construction, seven are in the US and three are in Norway, while China, Qatar and Iceland each have two facilities being built.
The remaining five facilities are still under construction in Australia, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Canada, and Oman.
Once complete, these projects will have a total annual carbon emission capture and storage capacity of 28.9 million tons.
There are now 256 projects in several countries that are in the development stage and have a completion date of 2040. The top three countries with the most projects in the planning phase are the US with 124, the UK with 38, and Canada with 19 projects.
