CCS Can Make Fossil-Fueled Energy Clean in Guangdong Province, China

Abstract

CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) is the only technology available to achieve a deep cut in CO2emissions from large-scale fossil fuel usage. Although Guangdong Province has less heavy industries and higher reliance on energy import compared with many other provinces in China, CCS is still essential for the low-carbon development in the province. This is because fossil fuel energy is now and will be in the foreseeable future the major energy in Guangdong. CCS may have other benefits such as helping energy security and bring new business opportunities. The feasibility of CCS development in Guangdong is ensured by the existence of sufficient CO2storage capacity in offshore sedimentary basins in the northern South China Sea. A safe CO2storage is achievable as long as the selection of storage sites and the storage operations are in restrict quality control. The increased cost and energy penalty associated with CCS could be reduced through technical R&D, the utilization of captured CO2, and the utilization of infrastructure of offshore depleted oil fields. Fossil fuel energy plus CCS should be regarded as a new type of clean energy and deserves similar incentive policies that have been applied to other clean energies such as renewables and nuclear.