Facts vs. Fiction

FACT: According to the Global CCS Institute, carbon capture & storage technology has been in use for more than 45 years – since the before the invention of the first personal computer. The first CCS facility began operating in Texas in1972 and has stored more than 200 million tons of captured CO₂ underground since then.

FACT: This statement assumes CCS will not work when, in fact, it is a proven technology that has been successfully implemented and used for more than 45 years.

FACT: CCS allows fossil fuels – which populations across the globe rely on for affordable energy – to produce low-carbon energy. The global effort to reduce carbon emissions is a reality, and CCS is critical to achieving those goals. Implementation of CCS at existing facilities saves operators, and ultimately consumers, by utilizing existing fossil fuel energy production assets to generate low-carbon energy. Further, it is the only available option to decarbonize energy-intense sectors that can’t reliably and consistently run on renewables including the cement, steel, chemicals manufacturing and synthetic fuel production sectors. It enables the production of low-carbon hydrogen from fossil fuels, and it can remove CO₂ from the atmosphere to balance emissions. While solar and wind could become affordable sources of electricity in the coming decades, other technologies will still be needed for low-cost power.

FACT: Studies have shown that CO₂ can be safely and permanently stored underground in deep, porous rock formations. In fact, scientists have found underground pockets of CO₂ that have endured for millions of years. Carbon stored underground through CCS technology is held in place by the same rock formations that have held naturally occurring CO₂ in place for millions of years. 

FACT: Fossil fuels will continue to provide a majority of the world’s increasing energy demand for decades to come. To meet Louisiana’s and global climate goals of reaching net zero CO₂ emissions by 2050, CCS technology must be implemented to reduce existing CO₂ emissions. CCS will play a crucial role in reducing the impact of carbon-intense sectors, such as consumer energy production and industrial processes, including fertilizer production, cement, and steel where electrification is not a practical option. These sectors are critical to everyday life and can be made carbon neutral without disrupting existing infrastructure using CCS technology.

FACT: Carbon Capture and Storage is a reliable, cost-effective way to meet climate goals while providing reliable power supply to consumers. The United States passed bipartisan deals that incentivize companies to invest in these exact technologies to reduce carbon emissions, meet climate goals, diversify energy production and mitigation methods, create and preserve jobs and generate economic growth. The free market provides companies the ability to make financial investment decisions based on their own cost evaluations, consumer and investor demand, and many other factors they consider.