A group of over 20 companies and industry organizations has made a joint-statement requesting a review of regulations about the transport of CO2 in Europe. The combined message they are sending out to the EU, requests the inclusion of all types of carbon dioxide transportation, not only pipelines, in the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) regulation.
As it stands only pipelines for transport and storage can be deemed “Projects of Common Interest” and would be eligible for different forms of funding. However there is a multitude of projects that are already under way across the continent that are focused on ship, barge, rail and truck transport.
A misalignment pointed out by the letter is that the four large-scale carbon capture and storage projects that are already slated to receive funding plan to include these transport modes.
“We must ensure equal opportunities for decarbonisation across Europe, including smaller emitters located far from storage sites. TEN-T recognition of ship, rail, barge and truck transport CO2 to storage is a key piece of the puzzle for Europe to reach net-zero by 2050,” said Lina Strandvåg Nagell from Bellona, one of the organizations that drafted the letter.
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The signatories continue by saying that including all these diverse methods will support the connection with smaller emitters, increase the economy of scale and reduce investor risk, ultimately helping the EU decarbonize at a faster rate.
The regulations of the Trans-European Transport Network are currently being reviewed and with the future of carbon capture and transportation at an important juncture in Europe, hopefully the TRAN Committee will vote in favor of including more types of CO2 transport.
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