[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/7428\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EHow carbon-intensive industries can scale up CO2 recycling\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESome of the biggest polluters \u2014\u0026nbsp;the steel, cement and chemicals industries that account for more than two-thirds of all industrial carbon dioxide emissions in the EU \u2014\u0026nbsp;have already made some progress, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.europarl.europa.eu\/RegData\/etudes\/STUD\/2020\/652717\/IPOL_STU(2020)652717_EN.pdf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Ecutting emissions by nearly 30% between 1990 and 2018\u003C\/a\u003E. This was in part thanks to the EU\u2019s flagship climate policy \u2014\u0026nbsp;the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/clima\/policies\/ets_en\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003EEmissions Trading System\u003C\/a\u003E \u2014 which follows the \u2018polluter pays\u2019 principle, in which certain industries pay for a (capped) emissions allowance for each tonne of CO2-equivalent they inject into the atmosphere.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis approach has tried to disincentivise the use of fossil fuels by charging a little bit for emissions \u2014 but it isn\u2019t enough and it isn\u2019t fast enough, says Stuart Haszeldine, professor of carbon capture and storage at the University of Edinburgh, UK.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018The policies we\u0027ve got at the moment are good for starting off on the journey, but they \u2026 definitely don\u0027t get to the end point of the journey. There are ways of achieving these goals, but we haven\u0027t been bold enough to do them.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstead of dealing with the messy output, the cleanest way to cutting greenhouse emissions is to use renewable electricity as the main energy source \u2014\u0026nbsp;but this isn\u2019t always feasible. Planting trees to suck up carbon from the atmosphere could be another crucial piece of the puzzle, but it\u2019s a slow and steady kind of solution, one that will take years and scale, to bring meaningful change.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECapture and store\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPerhaps the single most critical ingredient to meeting the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/unfccc.int\/process-and-meetings\/the-paris-agreement\/the-paris-agreement\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003EParis Agreement\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s covenant to limit global warming to \u2018well below\u2019 2\u00b0C compared to pre-industrial levels is proven industrial technology designed to capture and store CO2 before it is emitted into the atmosphere, says Prof. Haszeldine.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis could be done by mandating carbon-intensive industries to progressively invest in storing and\/or recycling a percentage of the CO2 they produce, he suggested.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe cement industry, for instance, produces more than 4 billion tonnes of product each year, accounting for around \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chathamhouse.org\/2018\/06\/making-concrete-change-innovation-low-carbon-cement-and-concrete\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003E8% of global CO2 emissions\u003C\/a\u003E \u2014\u0026nbsp;but only a third of its emissions emanate from the use of fuel for power, which means switching to renewable energy isn\u2019t enough.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe bulk of its emissions are intrinsically linked to the process for producing clinker, one of the main ingredients in cement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo make the production of most widely used construction material greener, projects like \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/764816\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003ECLEANKER\u003C\/a\u003E are testing in an industrial setting the applicability of capturing CO2 released during the cement production process. CLEANKER uses so-called calcium looping technology, which uses calcium oxide-based sorbents to capture CO2 at high temperatures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe technology has the potential to harness more than 90% of the CO2 produced in a cement plant, says Riccardo Cremona, who is working with researchers from\u0026nbsp;Politecnico di Milano, a university in Italy, on the CLEANKER\u0026nbsp;project.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA key hurdle to adoption is the expense \u2014 the cost of implementing such technology is the same order of magnitude of building a cement plant itself, so it is inconvenient for producers at the moment. But if the Paris Agreement and 2050 goals are to be met, he said, \u2018we have to adopt this technology \u2026 carbon capture will be fundamental for big industries that want to be carbon-free.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOnce CO2 has been captured, it can be compressed into liquid state and can then be pumped underground to replenish, for instance, depleted oil and gas reservoirs or coalbeds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cfigure role=\u0022group\u0022 class=\u0022@alignleft@\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cimg alt=\u0022Norway has been storing CO2 under the North Sea for decades driven by a carbon tax policy on offshore oil and gas fields. Image credit - Suncor Energy, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0\u0022 height=\u0022682\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/hm\/IMCEUpload\/7638120224_7931908bf8_o.png\u0022 title=\u0022Norway has been storing CO2 under the North Sea for decades driven by a carbon tax policy on offshore oil and gas fields. Image credit - Suncor Energy, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0\u0022 width=\u00221024\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022tw-italic tw-mb-4\u0022\u003ENorway has been storing CO2 under the North Sea for decades driven by a carbon tax policy on offshore oil and gas fields. Image credit - Suncor Energy, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERecycled\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe captured CO2 could also be recycled to produce other products of value, which was the goal of the recent \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/768919\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003ECarbon4PUR\u003C\/a\u003E project. The aim, says project coordinator Dr Liv Adler from the polymer company\u0026nbsp;Covestro Deutschland, was to demonstrate and evaluate whether it\u0027s technically possible, economically feasible and sustainable to recycle steel mill gases that contain CO2 and carbon monoxide into intermediate compounds that can be used to produce insulation boards or wood coatings.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project has delivered promising results, demonstrating the ability to convert steel mill gas mixtures into intermediate compounds for plastic polymers called polyurethanes, but Dr Adler says this type of technology is only part of the solution \u2014\u0026nbsp;there are other components that make up polyurethanes that could also be changed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Imagine baking a cake. We worked on, for example, the milk that you need to produce the cake, but every other ingredient is still the same,\u2019 she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018To really reduce emissions \u2026 we need to not only exchange the milk, but also exchange the eggs, the flour and the sugar and only then can we come to a real sustainable product.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother initiative designed to enhance sustainability, this time in the chemicals industry, is the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/678883\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003ECatASus\u003C\/a\u003E project, which is coordinated by Katalin Barta Weissert, professor in the Institute of Chemistry at the University of Graz, Austria.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project is working on developing more sustainable methods\u0026nbsp;for deriving renewable sources of amines \u2014\u0026nbsp;a family of chemicals widely present in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and surfactants \u2014\u0026nbsp;from decomposing lignocellulose (waste plant dry matter abundantly produced in agricultural and forestry). Essentially, by using waste biomass to make amines, there should be no extra CO2 emissions that would otherwise occur to produce these chemicals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat is crucial is that basic research like this keeps getting funded \u2014 only then will scientists be able develop methods that will eventually eclipse the status quo so much so that industry will be compelled to adopt such technologies, she says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Eventually we should reach the stage where we design something clever that will actually cost less\u2026 where the industry will say \u201cthis is amazing; it\u2019s less polluting, less hazardous but also cheaper for us.\u201d\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003E\u2018Eventually we should reach the stage where we design something clever that will actually cost less\u2026 where the industry will say \u201cthis is amazing; it\u2019s less polluting, less hazardous but also cheaper for us.\u201d\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EProfessor Katalin Barta Weissert, University of Graz, Austria \u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYoung\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs it stands, many of the projects that are developing new carbon-cutting technologies for renewable chemicals are young \u2014\u0026nbsp;they have a long way to go, says Dr Adler.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor instance, although her Carbon4PUR project has successfully demonstrated proof of concept on a semi-industrial scale, it needs to be trialled on a bigger scale and it will take at least five to\u0026nbsp;10 years (assuming all goes well) before it will be market ready, she says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, large-scale carbon storage projects are already underway. Norway, for example, has been storing CO2 under the North Sea for decades \u2014 driven by a carbon tax policy on offshore oil and gas fields. And the UK is about to fund two big projects to start by 2025, with two more by 2030.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo certain technologies that can make a big difference already exist, but the problem is how to implement them fast enough and across the continent. Governments are not making enough headway in this regard because it means that they have to completely change the way that their energy system works, says Prof. Haszeldine. Using the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/clima\/policies\/innovation-fund_en\u0022\u003EEU-ETS Innovation Fund\u003C\/a\u003E, the EU can help to fund the first pilot project to show carbon capture and storage works within a country, but it can\u0027t fund everything, because there\u0027s too much to fund, he says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018A government has to be creative \u2014 to invent a way of making this inevitable, making companies and businesses clean up their carbon emissions instead of putting them in the atmosphere. The clean-up has to become normal.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf Europe wants to achieve that net-zero position, he says, \u2018it really has to increase its ambition for the engineered capture of carbon capture and storage by a very large amount.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022moreinfoblock\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ch3\u003EThe issue\u003C\/h3\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ETo speed up the deployment of breakthrough technologies and cut the carbon footprint of the industrial sector, the EU is \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/op.europa.eu\/en\/publication-detail\/-\/publication\/ae659416-aedd-11eb-9767-01aa75ed71a1\/language-en\/format-PDF\/source-207372958\u0022\u003Edeveloping a plan\u003C\/a\u003E to create better links between Europe\u2019s research and innovation communities and industry.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis \u2018low-carbon roadmap\u2019 will be the first in a series of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/info\/research-and-innovation\/research-area\/industrial-research-and-innovation\/industrial-policy_en#industry-and-the-new-european-research-area\u0022\u003Eindustrial technology roadmaps\u003C\/a\u003E that spell out how research and industry can better work together, with upcoming subjects including circular industries.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis story is part of a\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/horizon-magazine.eu\/article\/european-science-next-generation.html\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eseries\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;in which we hear from the next generation of scientists and researchers who are working to tackle global challenges.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EA discussion on resilient, low-carbon European industries will take place on 24 June as part of the European Commission\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/projects.research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu\/en\/events\/upcoming-events\/research-innovation-days\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearch and Innovation Days conference\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EIf you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-xtelmyff9hi3w9antfusaacbkpmv-sscrzw9h-n-7ve\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-XTelmyfF9Hi3w9ANTFusAACBkpmV-sScrZw9H-N_7vE\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]