Capturing and storing CO₂? Illegal in Germany, but there are over 270 projects worldwide. The Carbon Capture Technology World Expo in Hamburg shows that more and more German companies are interested – but are not allowed to. That could change at the end of November.

At the Carbon Capture Technology World Expo (CCTE) in Hamburg from 21 to 23 October, visitors discussed a technology that is still largely illegal in Germany. Nevertheless, the interest is there – and it manifests itself in concrete products and projects. Carbon management, i.e. the combination of CO₂ capture, transport, storage (CCS) and use (CCU), is in a legal grey area in Germany: It exists, everyone is talking about it – but it is actually prohibited.

This is to end at the end of November, when the federal government wants to pass the carbon dioxide storage law (KSpG) of the traffic light coalition, which was revised in August. The consequences of this could be guessed in Hamburg.

Between illegality and industrial reality

"The last government managed to legalize cannabis, but not CCS. You have to let that melt in your mouth," explains Timm Kehler, head of the association THE GAS AND HYDROGEN INDUSTRY, at the CCTE in Hamburg. In many European countries – especially Denmark and Norway – CO₂ has long been captured and stored. But in Germany, the legal framework is missing. The Federal Republic is "easily five years behind," said Kehler.

With the planned adoption of the CO₂ Storage Act in November, "this stain of illegality would be gone for the time being," as Kehler puts it. Many companies are likely to be happy about this – either because they are interested in the technology themselves or offer it. But why is the topic so important in the first place?

With thanks to Magnus Schwarz

Read more here: Carbon Capture: Illegal Today, Indispensable Tomorrow?