Socio-technical dynamics of carbon dioxide capture and storage: A systems view on enablers and barriers at North Sea Port

Abstract

Carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) is considered an option for energy-intensive industry to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Although it is well known that CCS faces technological, economic and societal challenges, how these challenges interact in a real-life industry has not yet been investigated collectively in a place-specific context. This study fills that gap by looking at the dynamic interactions between technological, economic and societal aspects, with the aim of clarifying enablers for and barriers to the implementation of industrial CCS in the North Sea Port industrial cluster, and identifying a course of action. The analysis was based on literature, interviews and group model building. By using group model building, expert stakeholders were brought together from industry, government and environmental non-governmental organizations. The participants built a qualitative model of the system dynamics of the implementation of industrial CCS in the North Sea Port industrial cluster jointly and on the spot. Enablers and barriers, such as costs, government's decisiveness and public support, are strongly interrelated. Public support plays a key role in multiple feedback loops in the system of industrial CCS implementation. The interdependence of societal and techno-economical elements needs to be acknowledged and responded to. There is need for transparent public engagement to build public support for CCS, and decisiveness and commitment from industry and government to transform that public support into successful and responsible CCS implementation.