Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is one approach available to help slow, stop, or potentially reverse the rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere to help mitigate the negative effects of climate change. Many of the component technologies within CCUS have been available for decades; however, deployment of these technologies remains limited. Given Congressional interest in CCUS, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) conducted a technology assessment to answer the following questions: (1) What technologies are available for capturing or converting CO2, and how mature are they? (2) What challenges affect the deployment of CCUS technologies? (3) What options could policymakers consider to help address these challenges? To assess these technologies GAO reviewed relevant scientific and policy literature, held a 3-day meeting of 27 experts, and conducted 30 additional expert interviews. We found that while many carbon capture technologies are mature, they are not widely deployed because of high costs and the long timeline for implementation, among other challenges. Companies are beginning to commercialize CO2 conversion technologies; however, many CO2-based products are not competitive with conventional products, may be excluded from the market by industry standards, and lack a standardized method for ensuring they effectively reduce emissions. We also identified options policymakers could employ if they want to address these challenges and advance CCUS.

Status, challenges, and policy options for carbon capture, utilization, and storage

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