Acceptance of Industrial Carbon Capture and Storage in Germany

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies are being discussed and tested in different countries to reduce industrial emissions. Public opinion about industrial CCS (iCCS) can be a key factor in whether it will be implemented. Yet, measuring public acceptance of CCS is a challenge: on the one hand, the use of CCS is the subject of intense and controversial political debate. On the other hand, a majority of people is still not aware of it. 

Against this background, researchers from the Future Energy and Industry Systems Research Division at the Wuppertal Institute conducted a survey, proposing a new approach to measuring public opinion of iCCS. The results have now been published in the journal "Energy Research & Social Science": In their article "Understanding public acceptance amidst controversy and ignorance: The case of industrial Carbon Capture and Storage in Germany", the authors conclude that five factors influence the acceptance of iCCS:

• The more strongly people perceive local climate change as a threat, the higher their acceptance of iCCS.
• Respondents who see more advantages than disadvantages tend to be more accepting.
• The more important respondents consider the argument that iCCS is necessary to reduce unavoidable emissions in industries that are difficult to decarbonise, such as the cement and steel industries, the more pronounced their acceptance of the technology.
• The same applies to the argument that iCCS should be used as a bridging technology until sufficient amounts of renewable energy are available to replace fossil fuels in industrial processes. The more strongly this argument is accepted, the more pronounced the acceptance of iCCS.
• Respondents who are more open to local storage also generally view iCCS more favourably.

The survey also shows that many respondents have safety concerns regarding the transportation of CO2, particularly by truck. A lack of trust in industrial players could also make the implementation of iCCS more difficult. To address these aspects, the authors recommend transparent communication and involving actors perceived as trustworthy – such as scientists, NGOs, and consumer organisations. Overall, the researchers see potential for broad acceptance of iCCS if the public is well informed and actively involved locally.

The paper can be downloaded free of charge via the link below.