Projections made by the International Energy Agency (IEA) are, that in a business-as-usual scenario, global CO2 emissions could reach 62 Gt per year in 2050 – more than a doubling from the 27 Gt in 2005. This is clearly not a sustainable development.
IEA’s Blue Map Scenario predicts that in order to curb the average global temperature increase to 2.0-2.4 degrees, the 62 Gt must be reduced by 80% - down to 14 Gt. This scenario is only feasible with a substantial introduction of carbon capture and storage (CCS), and estimations are that CCS must shoulder responsibility for 20% of the total reductions.
Calculations show that in order to achieve this reduction, 3,400 CCS projects, in a number of industrial sectors, must be in operation by 2050.
As responses:1. The Norwegian Parliament adopted the Climate Act in 2008
2. The Norwegian Research Council launched the CEER scheme in 2008
3. SINTEF and partners established BIGCCS – International CCS Research Centre in 2009
Our Response – BIGCCS The vision of the BIGCCS Centre is to enable sustainable power generation from fossil fuels based on cost-effective CO2 capture, safe transport, and underground storage of CO2.
The BIGCCS Centre is set to achieve the following goals:
The BIGCCS Centre develops new knowledge and technology required to accelerate deployment of large scale CCS, through international co-operation. Innovation and value creation is promoted throughout the CO2 value chain.
Research areas:
Facts on BIGCCS:
Project period: 2009-2016
Published October 4, 2010
The Centres for Environment-friendly Energy Research (CEER) scheme is an initiative to establish time-limited research centres conducting concentrated, focused, and long-term research of high international calibre in order to solve specific challenges in the field of energy and environment. The centres were selected early 2009 via a detailed review process administered by the Research Council of Norway.
Two main assessment criteria formed the basis for the selection of the CEERs: relevance and potential for innovation and value creation, and scientific merit. One prerequisite for achieving the status of CEER is that the centres consist of a distinct combination of researchers, research institutions, organizations, industry and private enterprises. The CEERs receive NOK 10-20 million annually from the Research Council of Norway for five years, with a possibility for a three year extension.
The CEER scheme is a direct follow-up of the broad-based political agreement on climate change policy adopted by the Norwegian Parliament in 2008, and of the national R&D strategy Energy21 of that same year.
More information about the CEER
