Should Congress Invest in Carbon Capture and Storage Infrastructure?
The “Storing CO2 And Lowering Emissions Act” or the “SCALE Act” is a bipartisan piece of legislation, with the mission to invest in transportation and storage infrastructure for the deployment of carbon capture technology. If passed, this will establish a CO2 Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (CIFIA) program to support investment in CO2 transport infrastructure, with low-interest loans and other financial vehicles. As well, the legislation promises to provide regional economic opportunities and jobs.
Sponsor: Senator Christopher Coons (Democrat, Delaware)
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How do you feel?
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Opponents say
• "All sorts of scenarios have been developed under the assumption that carbon capture actually reduces substantial amounts of carbon. However, this research finds that it reduces only a small fraction of carbon emissions, and it usually increases air pollution… There is a lot of reliance on carbon capture in theoretical modeling, and by focusing on that as even a possibility, that diverts resources away from real solutions. It gives people hope that you can keep fossil fuel power plants alive. It delays action. In fact, carbon capture and direct air capture are always opportunity costs." Source: Professor Mark Z. Jacobson (Stanford University)
• "Carbon capture and storage is not a solution to the climate crisis, it is part of the problem. This extraordinarily expensive pipe dream is just false rhetoric propagated by the fossil fuel industry in an attempt to save itself." Source: Karen Orenstein (Friends of the Earth)
Proponents say
• "Carbon capture, utilization, and storage will play a critical role in meeting mid-century climate goals, supporting high-paying manufacturing jobs, and maintaining American competitiveness, but cost barriers currently stand in the way of its widespread deployment in the United States. I’m working to advance the SCALE Act to build this crucial infrastructure that will help reduce industrial emissions and create thousands of high-wage jobs." Source: Senator Christopher Coons (Democrat, Delaware)
• "Its bipartisan, bicameral support shows Congress can work together to reduce harmful pollutants, promote American innovation and strengthen the U.S. economy—all at the same time. Study after study shows that carbon capture and storage are vital to achieving climate and net- zero emissions goals, and the SCALE Act will help remove carbon from the air, build the needed CO2 transport and storage infrastructure, and help advance U.S. innovation by enabling the deployment of large-scale carbon capture technology." Source: Heather Reams (Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions)
- A Debate Over Carbon Capture in the Infrastructure Bill Could Test the Labor-Climate Alliance (In These Times)
- Shell, Exxon Look to Profit From Capturing Customers’ Carbon Emissions (The Wall Street Journal)
- Biden welcomes Putin’s climate summit call for carbon dioxide removal (The Irish Times)
- Carbon Capture Technologies Are Improving Nicely (Scientific American)
