Regional CCUS strategies in the context of a fully decarbonized society

Abstract

Global strategies to combat climate change must be implemented through actions at the local level. The complexity and interconnection of the global challenges are, however, difficult to interpret at the local level. This requires enhanced collaboration and coordination together with a shared understanding of the interconnected nature of our energy systems and the strategies that shape them. Global, international, and national strategies for carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) have emerged in recent years as carbon is increasingly outlined as a key element in the future energy system. This emphasizes CCUS strategies as an important part of a transition toward a fully decarbonized society. Therefore, principal strategies for CCUS and the energy system need to be coordinated and translated following a spatiotemporal assessment to enable meaningful actions at the local level. This article applies a regional perspective, in which a regional energy system model seeks to bridge the gap between national and local energy planning. The regional energy system is developed as part of an overarching national scenario for the transition towards a fully decarbonized society. This context provides a national boundary shaped by a global ceiling to provide a meaningful and adequate framework for regional and local development in the future. The overarching national scenario frames the potentials and constraints of the regional energy system and CCUS strategies as part of a global transition while enabling investigations of potential ramifications from changes in national objectives. The analysis in the article uses the North Denmark Region as a case and investigates scenarios in which the region assumes various roles as a contributor to the national transition. The results indicate a need for more interactive and dynamic energy planning and CCUS strategies to comprehend possible impacts from the various roles and changes in the national objectives. This article suggests that spatial and temporal awareness at the regional level of CCUS strategies as part of a future fully decarbonized society is key to creating a meaningful context for local actions today.