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Governance of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS): accounting, rewarding, and the Paris agreement

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  • Asbjørn Torvanger

Abstract

Studies show that the ‘well below 2°C’ target from the Paris Agreement will be hard to meet without large negative emissions from mid-century onwards, which means removing CO2 from the atmosphere and storing the carbon dioxide in biomass, soil, suitable geological formations, deep ocean sediments, or chemically bound to certain minerals. Biomass energy combined with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) is the negative emission technology (NET) given most attention in a number of integrated assessment model studies and in the latest IPCC reports. However, less attention has been given to governance aspects of NETs. This study aims to identify pragmatic ways forward for BECCS, through synthesizing the literature relevant to accounting and rewarding BECCS, and its relation to the Paris Agreement. BECCS is divided into its two elements: biomass and CCS. Calculating net negative emissions requires accounting for sustainability and resource use related to biomass energy production, processing and use, and interactions with the global carbon cycle. Accounting for the CCS element of BECCS foremost relates to the carbon dioxide capture rate and safe underground storage. Rewarding BECCS as a NET depends on the efficiency of biomass production, transport and processing for energy use, global carbon cycle feedbacks, and safe storage of carbon dioxide, which together determine net carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere. Sustainable biomass production is essential, especially with regard to trade-offs with competing land use. Negative emissions have an added value compared to avoided emissions, which should be reflected in the price of negative emission ‘credits’, but must be discounted due to global carbon cycle feedbacks. BECCS development will depend on linkages to carbon trading mechanisms and biomass trading.Key policy insights A standardized framework for sustainable biomass should be adopted.Countries should agree on a standardized framework for accounting and rewarding BECCS and other negative emission technologies.Early government support is indispensable to enable BECCS development, scale-up and business engagement.BECCS projects should be designed to maximize learning across various applications and across other NETs.BECCS development should be aligned with modalities of the Paris Agreement and market mechanisms.

Suggested Citation

  • Asbjørn Torvanger, 2019. "Governance of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS): accounting, rewarding, and the Paris agreement," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 329-341, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:tcpoxx:v:19:y:2019:i:3:p:329-341
    DOI: 10.1080/14693062.2018.1509044
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    Cited by:

    1. Jagu Schippers, Emma & Massol, Olivier, 2022. "Unlocking CO2 infrastructure deployment: The impact of carbon removal accounting," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    2. Rahman, Arief & Richards, Russell & Dargusch, Paul & Wadley, David, 2023. "Pathways to reduce Indonesia’s dependence on oil and achieve longer-term decarbonization," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 1305-1323.
    3. Wim Carton & Adeniyi Asiyanbi & Silke Beck & Holly J. Buck & Jens F. Lund, 2020. "Negative emissions and the long history of carbon removal," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 11(6), November.
    4. Laurie Waller & Tim Rayner & Jason Chilvers & Clair Amanda Gough & Irene Lorenzoni & Andrew Jordan & Naomi Vaughan, 2020. "Contested framings of greenhouse gas removal and its feasibility: Social and political dimensions," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 11(4), July.
    5. Asbjørn Torvanger, 2023. "What If Country Commitments for CO 2 Removal Were Based on Responsibility for Historical Emissions?," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-11, May.
    6. Camilla C. N. Oliveira & Gerd Angelkorte & Pedro R. R. Rochedo & Alexandre Szklo, 2021. "The role of biomaterials for the energy transition from the lens of a national integrated assessment model," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 167(3), pages 1-22, August.
    7. Harrison, Nicholas & Herrera Jiménez, Juan & Krieger Merico, Luiz F. & Lorenzo, Santiago & Rondón Toro, Estefani & Rouse, Paul & Samaniego, Joseluis, 2023. "Nature-based solutions and carbon dioxide removal," Documentos de Proyectos 48691, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).
    8. McLaughlin, Hope & Littlefield, Anna A. & Menefee, Maia & Kinzer, Austin & Hull, Tobias & Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Bazilian, Morgan D. & Kim, Jinsoo & Griffiths, Steven, 2023. "Carbon capture utilization and storage in review: Sociotechnical implications for a carbon reliant world," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    9. Holden, Erling & Linnerud, Kristin & Rygg, Bente Johnsen, 2021. "A review of dominant sustainable energy narratives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    10. Pietzcker, Robert C. & Osorio, Sebastian & Rodrigues, Renato, 2021. "Tightening EU ETS targets in line with the European Green Deal: Impacts on the decarbonization of the EU power sector," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 293(C).
    11. Rickels, Wilfried & Proelß, Alexander & Geden, Oliver & Burhenne, Julian & Fridahl, Mathias, 2020. "The future of (negative) emissions trading in the European Union," Kiel Working Papers 2164, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    12. Pietzcker, Robert & Osorio, Sebastian & Rodrigues, Renato, 2021. "Tightening EU ETS targets in line with the European Green Deal: Impacts on the decarbonization of the EU power sector," EconStor Preprints 222579, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, revised 2021.

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