In response to a Request for Information (RFI) released by the U.S. Department of Energy on “Deployment and Demonstration Opportunities for Carbon Reduction and Removal Technologies” (DE-FOA-0002660), the Carbon Utilization Research Council (CURC) provided recommendations to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to guide the implementation of the new CCUS Demonstration Program required by P.L. 117-58, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
The IIJA provides $12.1 billion over five years for activities related to carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) including funding for large pilots, carbon transportation and storage, and direct air capture activities. CURC’s recommendations focus on the $2.5 billion in funding for DOE over five years to implement a new CCUS Commercial Demonstration, which will require DOE to fund six commercial-scale CCUS demonstration projects including two projects each on coal-fired electric generating units, natural gas-fired electric generating units, and industrial facilities. CURC’s comments also include recommendations on other CCUS-related components of the IIJA, including the Large-Scale Pilot Program and the Carbon Storage Validation and Testing Program.
CURC and its members have extensive experience working in partnership with DOE on its CCUS-related research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) activities, and are in a unique position to provide recommendations to the Department as it implements this new Demonstration Program. The recommendations provided by CURC reflect the consensus findings of CURC members following a thorough assessment of lessons learned from prior and ongoing projects in partnership with the Department, current CCUS technology deployment needs, and other considerations that will lead to a successful CCUS demonstration program and, in turn, assist in the widespread deployment of CCUS technologies that will contribute to domestic decarbonization objectives and job creation.
“At this critical moment in the effort to reduce emissions from all sectors, it is crucial that funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act be allocated in a manner that advances near-term deployment of CCUS technologies in both the electric power and industrial sectors,” said Shannon Angielski, Executive Director of CURC. “Doing so will provide an effective foundation for robust domestic and international CCUS deployment that climate authorities agree is necessary to achieve global decarbonization objectives. CURC appreciates Secretary Granholm’s consideration of these recommendations and looks forward to working with the Department as it implements this new program.”