Policy Brief: Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage in the EU – Challenges and Opportunities

Author(s): Andrei Marcu, Marino Varricchio

The report examines Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) in the European Union context, focusing on its potential role in meeting climate targets and the associated challenges and opportunities for implementation.

The scope of this report encompasses:

1. Policy landscape analysis within the EU framework, particularly the Carbon Removals Certification Framework (CRCF), Renewable Energy Directive (RED), and potential integration with the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS).

2. Challenges in the deployment in the EU:

○ Technical and infrastructure limitations

○ Regulatory and financial barriers

The report aims to:

1. Evaluate the role of BECCS in reaching the EU’s climate targets, particularly in light of the European Commission’s 2040 climate target recommendation and IPCC projections

2. Identify key barriers to BECCS deployment at scale within the European context.

3. Assess the adequacy of current EU policy frameworks and propose policy recommendations for BECCS deployment in the EU.

This analysis is framed within the principle of technology neutrality established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), recognizing that a diverse toolbox of solutions, including carbon dioxide removal technologies like BECCS, will be necessary to achieve the Paris Agreement’s objectives.