A developing disagreement within the German federal government centers on the potential deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, specifically regarding its application to gas-fired power plants. While Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Katherina Reiche, advocates for keeping the option open, the Federal Ministry for the Environment and Climate Protection, led by Minister Carsten Scheider, expresses reservations.
Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary in the Ministry for the Environment, cautioned against fostering false hopes that CCS could justify the prolonged use of fossil fuels. He indicated economic factors likely render CCS impractical for gas-fired plants.
However, the current coalition agreement and a recently approved draft law from Minister Reiche’s ministry do not preclude the use of CCS in gas power generation. The Ministry for Economic Affairs maintains that dismissing the technology outright would be premature.
Energy economist Andreas Löschel aligns with the environmental ministry’s assessment, stating CCS is currently not economically viable for gas power plants in Germany. He noted that most gas plants are projected to operate only intermittently, supplementing renewable energy sources, which complicates the economic justification for the substantial initial investment required for carbon storage. Löschel argues this economic reality also undermines the assertion that allowing CCS for gas plants would hinder the expansion of renewable energy. He suggests caution should be exercised regarding a legislative prohibition of the technology.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recognizes CCS as a potentially valuable tool for mitigating emissions from difficult-to-decarbonize industrial sectors like cement, steel and chemicals. However, the IPCC also cautions that reliance on carbon removal technologies might diminish the urgency of immediate emissions reductions. Furthermore, CCS projects have historically proven expensive and difficult to scale, leaving planned capacity targets unrealized. A major challenge lies in ensuring the long-term stability of stored carbon, preventing leakage that would reintroduce greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and exacerbate global warming.