Development of Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage Technology in China

Carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) is an indispensable option for achieving carbon neutrality. This study evaluates the technical development level, demonstration progress, cost effectiveness, and CO2 reduction potential of CCUS in China to review the status of CCUS and identify its future direction of development. The conclusion indicates that China’s deployment of CCUS projects has developed rapidly and is generally at the stage of industrialized demonstration; although the overall development is comparable to international counterparts, some key technologies still lag behind the international advanced level. In terms of industrial demonstration, China already has the engineering capabilities for large-scale projects; however, there remains a gap between China and the advanced countries regarding the scale of demonstration projects, technology integration, off-shore storage, and industrial application. In terms of reduction potential and demand, the theoretical storage capacity of CCUS and the demand for industrial emission reduction in China are huge. However, the onshore storage potentials in different regions are significantly varied when source–sink matching is considered. In terms of cost and benefit, although the current cost of CCUS technology is high, CCUS remains a cost-effective emission-reduction option for achieving carbon neutrality in the future. It is necessary to develop the CCUS technology system, promote full-chain integrated demonstration, accelerate the pipeline network layout and infrastructure construction, and improve the fiscal and tax incentive policies and the legal and regulatory framework.