Carbon Capture Technologies

By Dr. Nareshkumar B Handagama

Importance of Carbon Capture Technologies in a Fossil Fuel to Renewable Energy Transition Ecosystem
Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) technologies play a critical bridging role in the global transition from fossil fuel-based energy systems to renewable energy. While renewable sources such as solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal are expanding rapidly, fossil fuels are expected to remain part of the global energy portfolio for several decades due to existing infrastructure, industrial demand, and energy security requirements. Carbon Capture is the initial step of these three processes in series of CCUS.
Carbon capture technologies capture carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from large industrial sources-including coal- and natural gas-fired power plants, cement factories, steel mills, and chemical plants-before the CO₂ is released into the atmosphere. The captured CO₂ can then be: Stored permanently in deep geological formations (Carbon Capture and Storage - CCS).Utilized as a feedstock for producing synthetic fuels, chemicals, concrete, plastics, and other industrial products (Carbon Capture and Utilization - CCU).Within the energy transition ecosystem, carbon capture, the first process step, supports several key objectives: Reducing emissions from existing fossil fuel infrastructure, allowing time for renewable energy capacity to expand.Decarbonizing hard-to-abate industries, such as cement, steel, refining, and fertilizer production, where renewable electricity alone cannot eliminate emissions.Enabling low-carbon hydrogen production, particularly "blue hydrogen," where natural gas is reformed and the resulting CO₂ is captured.Supporting negative emissions through Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) and Direct Air Capture (DAC), which remove CO₂ directly from the atmosphere.Despite its potential, carbon capture faces several challenges: High capital and operating costs.Significant energy requirements, which reduce overall plant efficiency.Limited CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure.Long-term monitoring and regulatory requirements for secure storage.As renewable energy costs continue to decline, the long-term role of carbon capture is expected to shift away from extending fossil fuel power generation and toward supporting industrial decarbonization, therefore overall atmospheric carbon removal. Most international climate pathways, including those aimed at achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, identify CCUS as an essential complementary parallel technology alongside renewable energy, energy efficiency, electrification, and green hydrogen.
In a sustainable energy ecosystem, carbon capture is therefore viewed not as an alternative to renewable energy, but as a complementary synergistic technology that accelerates decarbonization while enabling an orderly, economically viable, and secure transition to a low-carbon future.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0HBPKY9VT
• ISBN13: 9798186757375
• Release Date: July 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 198 Pages
• Weight: 0.89 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.0" x 10.0"