Acceptance Of Carbon Capture And Storage Research Articles

Cross-border CO2 Transport Decreases Public Support for Carbon Capture and Storage

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) of CO2 has become indispensable to reach net-zero targets. Investments into cross-border CO2 transport infrastructure are considered essential to the cost-efficiency of a CCS strategy. We conduct multifactorial vignette experiments in four European countries and Canada to disentangle the impact of cross-border CO2 transport on individuals’ acceptance and fairness evaluations of CCS. We find its perceived unfairness to clearly hinder public acceptance of CCS.

Attitudes on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as a Mitigation Technology within the UNFCCC

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a technology for mitigating emissions from large point-source industries. In addition to the primary role of reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, CCS forms the basis for two large-scale negative emissions technologies by coupling geologic CO2 storage with bioenergy (BECCS) and direct air carbon capture (DACCS). Despite its inclusion within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), CCS has been largely unsupported by UNFCCC delegates because of its association with fossil fuels. We evaluate data from surveys given since 2015 to UNFCCC delegates at the Conference of the Parties (COPs) to ascertain how attitudes about bioenergy, BECCS, and CCS may be changing within the UNFCCC. The results show a positive change in attitudes over time for both fossil CCS and BECCS. Using a unique data analysis method, we ascertain that, in some instances, popularity of BECCS increased due to an increased acceptance of CCS despite lower opinions of bioenergy. Business and research NGOs have the most positive views of CCS, and environmental NGOs the most negative views. Delegates that attend CCS side-events have more positive attitudes towards CCS than non-attendees. Developing countries have a larger need and a greater appetite for information on BECCS than developed countries, but a need for information exists in both.

Comparing how the public perceive CCS across Australia and China

Whilst carbon capture and storage (CCS) has been promoted as a direct countermeasure against global warming, there remains much debate about what its final role as a climate change mitigation strategy will be. One key criticism directed towards CCS has been its inability to gain public support. This study compares public attitudes to the range of low carbon energy sources and technologies across Australia and China, and is the first study to compare primary data across these two countries on this topic. An online survey encompassing a broad set of questions was used to identify the factors that are associated with support for CCS compared to other energy technologies. Data were collected from a nationally representative Australian sample (n = 2383) and from Chinese urban residents across six regions (n = 1266). The survey confirmed low levels of knowledge and support for CCS in both countries. However, male respondents, those who perceived themselves to have higher knowledge of CCS, and those who valued economic outcomes over environmental protection were more likely to support CCS - as long as the risks were not perceived to outweigh the benefits. The results found that for Australians who believed in human-induced climate change they were likely to be unsupportive of CCS. This opposition appears to be linked to no tolerance for extending fossil fuels as in our factor analysis CCS was aligned to fossil fuels in Australia. In both countries, support for renewable energy technologies remains strong. Given the International Energy Agency’s future energy demand projections, combined with slow progress towards meeting the Paris Climate Agreement, the lack of knowledge and support for CCS is concerning. While there have been some technological advances, without parallel improvements in public acceptance of CCS, it will be difficult to see any commercial projects going forward in the near future. Although, the Chinese government’s success in educating on climate science, as evidenced in these results, suggests that they may be more effective at informing the public of the benefits of CCS and take the lead on its deployment for climate change mitigation. Based on the latest climate models, it is almost crunch time for governments to decide if CCS has a role to play as part of an energy transition to a low carbon future or perhaps it may be time to turn their focus to climate adaptation.

Comparing How the Public Perceive CCs Across Australia and China

Abstract Whilst carbon capture and storage (CCS) has been promoted as a direct countermeasure against global warming, there remains much debate about what its final role as a climate change mitigation strategy will be. One key criticism directed towards CCS has been its inability to gain public support. This study compares public attitudes to the range of low carbon energy sources and technologies across Australia and China, and is the first study to compare primary data across these two countries on this topic. An online survey encompassing a broad set of questions was used to identify the factors that are associated with support for CCS compared to other energy technologies. Data were collected from a nationally representative Australian sample (n = 2383) and from Chinese urban residents across six regions (n = 1266). The survey confirmed low levels of knowledge and support for CCS in both countries. However, male respondents, those who perceived themselves to have higher knowledge of CCS, and those who valued economic outcomes over environmental protection were more likely to support CCS - as long as the risks were not perceived to outweigh the benefits. The results found that for Australians who believed in human-induced climate change they were likely to be unsupportive of CCS. This opposition appears to be linked to no tolerance for extending fossil fuels as in our factor analysis CCS was aligned to fossil fuels in Australia. In both countries, support for renewable energy technologies remains strong. Given the International Energy Agency’s future energy demand projections, combined with slow progress towards meeting the Paris Climate Agreement, the lack of knowledge and support for CCS is concerning. While there have been some technological advances, without parallel improvements in public acceptance of CCS, it will be difficult to see any commercial projects going forward in the near future. Although, the Chinese government’s success in educating on climate science, as evidenced in these results, suggests that they may be more effective at informing the public of the benefits of CCS and take the lead on its deployment for climate change mitigation. Based on the latest climate models, it is almost crunch time for governments to decide if CCS has a role to play as part of an energy transition to a low carbon future or perhaps it may be time to turn their focus to climate adaptation.

The influence of narrative versus statistical evidence on public perception towards CCS in China: Survey results from local residents in Shandong and Henan provinces

In order to discover a better way of communicating with the public about carbon capture and storage (CCS), we surveyed 300 college students and 200 company employees via two different versions of a questionnaire to compare the persuasiveness and differential impact of narrative evidence versus statistical evidence on public perception towards CCS. Results showed narrative and statistical evidence were equally effective in gaining public acceptance of CCS, but the “Not In My Back Yard” (NIMBY) phenomenon was more evident in responses to the statistical version than to the narrative version of the questionnaire. In the student group, participants were significantly more opposed to CO2 pipelines and storage sites being located nearby when they were exposed to statistical presentation. In the employee group, statistical evidence elicited more negative attitudes towards CO2 storage projects being sited nearby. Nine different concerns emerged from the responses to an open-ended question inviting participants to specify “any concern or worry about utilizing CCS”. The themes revealed that those presented with statistical evidence were mainly concerned about health and safety, while those presented with narrative evidence were concerned about safety and cost alike.

Framing effects on public support for carbon capture and storage

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) involves trapping carbon dioxide (CO2) from power generation and heavy industrial processes and directing it into long-term geological storage (e.g., in depleted oil fields or saline aquifers). In doing so, CCS could facilitate global carbon abatement efforts. Yet, it remains controversial with high-profile public opposition to particular CCS developments. For instrumental, normative and substantive reasons, it is increasingly recognised that public acceptance of CCS as a vital precondition for its commercial-scale rollout. While much is known about factors influencing public support for CCS, relatively few cross-national studies have so far been undertaken. Here, we present findings from a large-scale international experimental study of public perceptions of CCS, to examine how individual, geographical and informational factors influence support for CCS. In particular, we compare the lens through which CCS is seen – as a ‘techno-fix’ climate change solution, as reusing a waste product (through Carbon Dioxide Utilisation [CDU]), or as part of a systemic approach to climate change mitigation. Pairing CCS with CDU led to higher support for CCS, although information frames interacted with national and individual-level factors. Depending on which CCS lens is chosen, different groups will be more or less likely to support CCS implementation. As with other issues, targeting CCS information to audience values is likely to be more effective than untargeted communication. Our findings also show mentioning (modest) costs of deploying CCS can lead to lower support. Discussing CCS costs should be done in the context of costs of broader energy system transformation and of not mitigating climate change so that the public can deliberate over the relative risks and benefits of CCS and alternatives in the context of broader sustainability pathways.

Same or different? Insights on public perception and acceptance of carbon capture and storage or utilization in Germany

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) are two CO2-based technologies aiming at mitigating climate change by capturing and either permanently storing CO2 (CCS) or using it as a feedstock (CCU) for commercial products, e.g., chemicals, fuels, or plastic products. Whereas the implementation of CCS has attracted considerable public opposition in Europe and the US, the CCU-technology is still in an early development stage. This research takes a social science perspective and investigates the awareness, general perception and acceptance of CCS in comparison to CCU by applying an online survey in Germany (2017, n = 509). In addition, the risk perception of single steps in the CCU/CCS process chains was explored (CCS: CO2-capturing, CO2-transport, CO2-storage; CCU: CO2-capturing, CO2-transport, temporary CO2-storage, production, product usage, product disposal). Significant differences were found for the perception and acceptance of CCS and CCU: while both technologies were generally accepted, CCU was perceived significantly more positively than CCS. CCS-acceptance was negatively influenced by storage and transport risks; for CCU, disposal and product risks decreased acceptance. Our results contribute to the development of communication concepts for a successful implementation of CO2-based technologies by considering public concerns.

Not in My Backyard: CCS Sites and Public Perception of CCS.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a technology that counteracts climate change by capturing atmospheric emissions of CO2 from human activities, storing them in geological formations underground. However, CCS also involves major risks and side effects, and faces strong public opposition. The whereabouts of 408 potential CCS sites in Germany were released in 2011. Using detailed survey data on the public perception of CCS, this study quantifies how living close to a potential storage site affects the acceptance of CCS. It also analyzes the influence of other regional characteristics on the acceptance of CCS. The study finds that respondents who live close to a potential CCS site have significantly lower acceptance rates than those who do not. Living in a coal-mining region also markedly decreases acceptance.

The effect of trust on people's acceptance of CCS (carbon capture and storage) technologies: Evidence from a survey in the People's Republic of China

This study aims to explore the factors affecting public acceptance of CCS (carbon capture and storage) technologies in China. A survey based on online questionnaires and face-to-face interviews was conducted between September and December 2014. Findings show that, in China the public is still not fully aware of CCS technologies, compared with other renewable energy technologies, and indicates a slightly supportive attitude towards the application of CCS technologies as an alternative technological option to mitigate climate change. In addition, the regression model revealed that public cognition, economic benefits and environmentalism exerted a positive impact, while perceived risk, which is the decisive factor among all related variables, has a negative effect on the acceptance of CCS. Trust in CCS project implementation stakeholders has a positive and direct influence on public decision-making to support CCS. Meanwhile, the interaction between trust and perceived risks and benefits also appears to be significant, indicating that trust indeed enhances the public's expected benefits, while easing concerns about the risks of CCS. These findings suggest that government institutions and project developers should take measures to control the risks of CCS in order to construct and maintain people's trust in the technologies themselves and the project implementation stakeholders.

The impact of religious faith on attitudes to environmental issues and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies: A mixed methods study

An exploratory mixed methods study was conducted to investigate potential differences in the pro-environmental values and beliefs of people from the UK Christian, Muslim and secular (non-religious) communities. The study explored how religion might shape perspectives on themes within the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale, including the relationship between humans and the environment (Dunlap, Kent, Mertig, & Jones, 2000). This study also explored how religious beliefs and values might influence perspectives on: (a) climate change; and (b) the acceptability of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies.Muslim and Christian participants' opinions about climate change and CCS technologies were shaped by the importance of environmental stewardship and intergenerational justice. Both groups had relatively low perceptions of urgency for environmental issues, particularly climate change, due to beliefs in an afterlife and divine intervention. Acceptance of CCS for Muslim participants was considered problematic due to teachings on stewardship, harmony values and the intrinsic value of nature. CCS was considered less problematic for Christian participants, who demonstrated anthropocentric values and evaluated environmental issues and technological solutions in relation to the extent to which they supported human welfare. Secular participants expressed anxiety in relation to environmental issues, especially climate change. Lack of belief in an afterlife or divine intervention led secular participants to focus on human responsibility and the need for action, bolstering the perceived necessity of a range of technologies including CCS.

What lessons can hydraulic fracturing teach CCS about social acceptance?

As with many technologies, carbon capture and storage (CCS) faces social acceptance challenges that can impact the pace of its development and deployment. Previous studies on the social acceptance of CCS have tended to rely on case studies of pilot projects or surveys of decision makers and the general public. Here, we take a different approach, using real world data about the social acceptance of hydraulic fracturing technologies to glean lessons for future carbon storage efforts. Hydraulic fracturing has many of the same operations, risks, and social narratives as carbon storage, making it a valid comparison. We conduct a statistical analysis on the relationship between various state demographic and economic factors and the stringency of state regulations governing the hydraulic fracturing industry. As a complement to this analysis, we conduct a comparative case study on the development of hydraulic fracturing regulations in New York and Pennsylvania. We find robust statistical evidence that familiarity with the oil and gas industry is associated with a decrease in regulatory variance among states where hydraulic fracturing takes place. Moreover, we identify a tension between regulatory control of hydraulic fracturing at the state level and regulatory control at the local level. This dynamic suggests that carbon storage policymakers and industrial leaders should emphasize local engagement in addition to state-level participation.

Socio-economic Aspects of CCS Technologies

Economic viability and public support are key factors of concern, along with technological advancement and ecological impact, for the implementation of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies, an increasingly urgent priority, to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions linked to global climate change, and building a low-carbon economy towards sustainable development. In the present study, recent socio-economic aspects of CCS technologies are discussed. Although real cost estimation for CCS is generally considered a difficult task, an estimated relatively high cost and energy requirements of these technologies, along with an uncertainty over public acceptance of CCS, appear major barriers to the deployment of a substantial commercial market, constraining the economic viability and policy making for the application of CCS. The full life-cycle cost of CCS must be considered in an overall social/environmental/economic/political context. Social research conducted using various tools can provide an insight into several factors influencing and shaping public awareness and perceptions of CCS, in order to promote communication of expert knowledge and participation, and to enhance the required social acceptance for the advancement of these technologies.

“Not in (or Under) My Backyard”: Geographic Proximity and Public Acceptance of Carbon Capture and Storage Facilities

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is an innovative technical approach to mitigate the problem of climate change by capturing carbon dioxide emissions and injecting them underground for permanent geological storage. CCS has been perceived both positively, as an innovative approach to facilitate a more environmentally benign use of fossil fuels while also generating local economic benefits, and negatively, as a technology that prolongs the use of carbon-intensive energy sources and burdens local communities with prohibitive costs and ecological and human health risks. This article extends existing research on the "not in my backyard" (NIMBY) phenomenon in a direction that explores the public acceptance of CCS. We utilize survey data collected from 1,001 residents of the coal-intensive U.S. state of Indiana. Over 80% of respondents express support for the general use of CCS technology. However, 20% of these initial supporters exhibit a NIMBY-like reaction and switch to opposition as a CCS facility is proposed close to their communities. Respondents' worldviews, their beliefs about the local economic benefits that CCS will generate, and their concerns about its safety have the greatest impact on increasing or decreasing the acceptance of nearby facilities. These results lend valuable insights into the perceived risks associated with CCS technology and the possibilities for its public acceptance at both a national and local scale. They may be extended further to provide initial insights into likely public reactions to other technologies that share a similar underground dimension, such as hydraulic fracturing.

Stakeholder perspectives on carbon capture and storage in Indonesia

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is being considered as an option to reduce CO2 emissions worldwide. Yet recent cases show that CCS faces divergent public acceptance issues. This paper investigates stakeholder perspectives on CCS in Indonesia. Q methodology was adopted to analyse the diversity of stakeholder perspectives. Four perspectives were identified: (1) “CO2 emissions reduction through clean energy sources rather than CCS”; (2) “CCS as one of the options in the transition to a sustainable energy system”; (3) “CCS as the only optimal solution to reduce CO2 emissions”; (4) “CCS is only a tactic to keep burning coal forever”. Based on these results, we argue that stakeholder acceptance of CCS should be understood as a complex notion. This means that understanding whether or under what conditions stakeholders would be willing to support CCS, requires consideration of stakeholders' viewpoints about broader questions of CO2 emission reduction and energy supply in Indonesia, rather than studying attitudes towards CCS in isolation. We discuss how the approach taken in this study can be used and followed up in policymaking on CCS in Indonesia.

Carbon Capture and Storage on its way to large-scale deployment: Social acceptance and willingness to pay in Germany

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is an emerging technology to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants. In the wake of a rapidly changing German energy system, CCS can play an important role. By means of an online survey among 130 university students in Dresden, this paper investigates the level and influencing factors of social acceptance of CCS. Furthermore, the individual willingness to pay for CCS and renewable power delivery is measured and compared through a choice model. The survey results reveal that the attitude towards CCS is neutral. Moreover, it is shown that acceptance of CCS is an important factor for the willingness to pay. The level of willingness to pay for CCS technology is much lower than for renewable energy.

Exploring CCS community acceptance and public participation from a human and social capital perspective

The delay or cancellation of energy infrastructure projects, such as wind farms and nuclear power plants and more recently carbon capture and storage (CCS) because of community resistance and poor public participation processes are well known. Yet, some communities accept these projects with relative ease. The term acceptance implies passivity and as such does not necessarily reflect community approval or support. If acceptance is passive, what are the characteristics of a community in which the acceptance of CCS is achieved with relative ease; and what best-practice public participation processes are most appropriate for it? This paper attempts to answer these questions through a case study of Australia's Otway Project. Qualitative research methods were used to conduct a human and social capital analysis of the Otway community. An assessment of the project's public participation process was made in light of that analysis. The study found that the community needed capacity-building to enable it to become well-informed about CCS; and to help it develop the negotiation skills necessary to have the proponent address its concerns about the project in a timely manner. An assessment of the Otway public participation process found that while it implemented the majority of best practice principles in public participation, it lacked an adherence to three: transparency, fairness and capacity. A mindfulness of all principles of best practice in public participation would have ensured a fairer and more transparent process.

Environmental consequences of potential leaks of CO2 in soil

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is expected to make a key contribution to the mitigation of climate change as a safe and effective short-term way to reduce the atmospheric emissions of CO2 produced by human activity. However, during the CCS process, there is a small possibility of leakage via pipeline transportation, through abandoned wells near the storage place or through natural pathways such as fractures and faults in the host formation. The stored gas may contain impurities that are more toxic and dangerous than pure CO2, potentially causing more serious environmental issues. Therefore, it is critical to assess the potential risks caused by CO2 leakage to ensure public acceptance of CCS as safe and reliable strategy for global warming mitigation. With 100% CO2 incubation in a pressure reactor, a direct correlation was found between the soil moisture and the uptake of CO2 during the process. Small changes in CaCl2-exchangeable metal concentration were observed after CO2 incubation, for example increases in Mg, K, Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Pb, while there were decreases in Zn and Cd. However, the mobilised metal concentrations remained below plant tolerance levels. Further research will investigate the potential environmental consequences (on soil and plants) of leaks of impure CO2, focusing on the effects of controlled exposure to different concentrations of CO2/SO2 mixtures in a new continuous flow reactor.

The public perspective of carbon capture and storage for CO 2 emission reductions in China

To explore public awareness of carbon capture and storage (CCS), attitudes towards the use of CCS and the determinants of CCS acceptance in China, a study was conducted in July 2009 based on face-to-face interviews with participants across the country. The result showed that the awareness of CCS was low among the surveyed public in China, compared to other clean energy technologies. Respondents indicated a slightly supportive attitude towards the use of CCS as an alternative technology to CO 2 emission reductions. The regression model revealed that in addition to CCS knowledge, respondents’ understanding of the characteristics of CCS, such as the maturity of the technology, risks, capability of CO2 emission reductions, and CCS policy were all significant factors in predicting the acceptance of CCS. The findings suggest that integrating public education and communication into CCS development policy would be an effective strategy to overcome the barrier of low public acceptance.

Lay perceptions of carbon capture and storage technology

The extent of social acceptance of carbon capture and storage (CCS) is likely to significantly influence the sustainable development of CO 2 storage projects. Acceptance of CCS by the key stakeholders (policy makers, the general public, the media and the local community), linked to specific projects, as well as how the technology is communicated about and perceived by the public, have become matters of interest for the social sciences. This article reports on an investigation of the public perception of CCS technology in Spain. Individuals’ views on CCS are analysed through focus groups with lay citizens using “stimulus materials”. As the analysis shows, lay views of CCS differ significantly from the views of decision-makers and experts. Public concerns and reactions to CCS technology and potential projects, as well as the degree of consensus on its acceptance or rejection are detailed. Implications for the future use of CCS are discussed.

Stakeholder acceptance of carbon capture and storage in Germany

Abstract This paper presents the results of a collaborative project on public acceptance of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) in Germany, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi). The project “Socio-economic Research on Acceptance of CCS” (April 2006 to March 2008) analyzed various aspects of public acceptance of CCS mainly in the national context of Germany. It was the first project to handle this subject matter. Public acceptance is one of the crucial factors for the implementation of CCS in the future.