Recently, Minister Hermans (KGG) responded to questions from the PvdD that negative emissions 'form an important part of the policy mix to be climate neutral in 2050'. The principles of the 'Roadmap Carbon Removal' that is being developed for this purpose, will be presented in the Climate Plan on 24 October. It seems that this Cabinet is working on the advice of the Scientific Climate Council to implement an active policy for the removal of carbon dioxide.
Double function
Short-cycle CO2 from air, sea or biomass is in principle climate neutral and, with permanent storage underground, in soil or forest, leads to a net reduction of carbon in the atmosphere. Of the options mentioned, biomass is the only source with a dual function: it supplies both sustainable energy and climate neutral CO2. Projects under the name BECCS or BECCUS, Bio-Energy Carbon Capture Utilisation & Storage, utilise this dual function: they create a link between the generation of bio-energy and permanent carbon removal.
Power stations that switch from coal to biomass and store the captured CO2 are well advanced in this respect. This involves 'biomass' and 'CCS': two subjects that are critically considered separately in the social and political debate. The question is: do we see BECCUS projects as a pile of sore points, or does the combination shed a different light on the matter? I tend towards the latter.
Low grade/high grade
The use of residual wood for electricity generation is currently the only CO2-free electricity as a backup for solar and wind energy. Criticism concerns the low value of this application compared to wood processing in furniture and construction, for example. But does the link with carbon removal not make this application more valuable than just energy generation. The use of biogenic CO2 in chemical products (CCU) even leads to upcycling: from low-value residual wood to high-value products.
Optimal utilization
The underground storage of biogenic CO2, or: BioCCS, is currently the fastest deployable technology for creating serious volumes of negative emissions. The resistance often concerns the use of biomass. But let us also look at the bigger picture here: the coupling of energy generation and carbon removal provides the most optimal use of renewable raw materials in the energy system.
By focusing on one of the components, the opportunities of BECCUS remain underexposed. Each step in the process must of course be subject to strict requirements and control. But the urgency of decarbonization of the atmosphere, processes and products justify that the coupling of both processes is valued in energy policy. At least until there are full-fledged alternatives.
About the author
Marieke van der Werf
Advisor in the field of energy and circular economy
Marieke van der Werf is an advisor at the intersection of sustainability and politics. After her membership of the Chamber, she joined Bureau Publyon, Public Affairs and Corporate Communications as a partner. Marieke has specialized in energy and the circular economy and advises, among others, the Green Gas Platform. She is also chair of the CCU Alliance and initiator of the Negative Emissions Task Force, where biogenic CO2 plays an important role. In addition to her consultancy work, Marieke fulfills supervisory roles at, among others, the Frisian Energy Fund and Spaarnelanden BV.
