As part of the Horizon Europe program, the EU has announced a new call for DACCS and BECCS carbon removal solutions, earmarking €15,000,000 ($16.1M) that will go towards multiple projects developing innovations in these two spheres.
This call forms part of the Union’s broader strategy for reducing its carbon footprint by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Keeping in line with this mission, the European Commission Directorates-General for Environment and Climate is now looking to explore the potential of direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS) and bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technologies and their impact on the environment.
With this call, the EU is looking to back DACCS and BECCS projects that improve materials currently present on the market or ones that introduce novel, original solutions.
The funding will also back initiatives that tackle the obstacles to the implementation of DACCS and BECCS systems into existing decarbonization concepts.
Lastly, the program will support projects that increase DACCS/BECCS feasibility by optimizing the cost-effectiveness of these technologies and by boosting their readiness level.
Acknowledging the significant role these technologies can play in the fight against climate change, through this call the Union is hoping to stimulate their advancement, carving a path for their wider adoption and addressing the social, economic, and environmental challenges that might stand in the way.
Relevant: European Competitiveness Report Highlights Key Role, Specific Challenges Of Decarbonization
The funding will promote the development of original solutions that would ideally be linked to industrial clusters, helping address the CO2 from these heavy emitting areas. A special emphasis will be placed on the capacity to safely store the captured carbon underground or enable its alternative utilization.
The deadline for applying to the program is February 4th, 2025, and, as clarified in the call announcement, projects that include research into the use of DAC and BECCS for enhanced oil recovery will not be considered.
Read more: EU Ministers Urge European Commission To Accelerate Cross-Border CO2 Transport Framework
