The Europe CCUS & Decarbonisation Summit of March 2022

The Europe CCUS & Decarbonisation Summit took place in Brussels between the 30^th and 31^st of March 2022. The event which was held at the Marriot Grand Place benefitted from a media partnership with the European Federation of Geologists (EFG). Moreover, Executive Director Glen Burridge and Project Officer Alberto Sanchez were in attendance on behalf of EFG.

The two-day sessions treated each different topics, but both focused on determining strategies for greater Decarbonisation of the energy and carbon intensive sectors. The sessions also targeted the enhancement of synergies between Government officials, Regulators, Research & Innovation companies, Industry and Tertiary sectors’ stakeholders, etc. The Summit also put forward that although there have been visible Decarbonisation efforts, these have only been limited. Furthermore, the transition to a cleaner socio-economic system requires action from the energy-intensive industries which generate approximately 24% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

On the first day of the Summit, the emphasis was laid on International Policy, Energy Mix, and Projects & Infrastructure, with each topic having its own dedicated session. During the first talks, parties present at the venue reviewed the European Policy and discussed the impact Decarbonisation will have on the European economy.

During this first session, the European Commission recognised that Carbon Capture, Utilisation & Storage (CCUS) and Hydrogen will play a key role in achieving the EU’s Climate Targets. The Summit also pointed out that a number of European countries have already adopted national strategies aimed towards the integration and development of CCUS and Hydrogen as a future investment for the CO₂  emissions reduction targets. Participants in an interesting roundtable discussed the future role of Hydrogen in the natural gas supply chain in Europe and its connection to other socio-economic sectors. Participation from Policy Makers, Regulators and Transmission System Operators allowed for a complementary and extensive overview on the subject.

In addition, case studies were presented by some of the market’s leading companies (Technip, Thyssenkrupp, Svante, TNO, etc.). The presentations underlined, amongst others, the fact that Europe needs to upgrade its infrastructure in order to meet the Net Zero requirements.

The second day of the summit focused on Hydrogen Production, Storage, Investment & Economics. A special attention was given to Hydrogen projects, particularly into maximizing energy efficiency, costs’ reduction, and production and injection of Hydrogen into gas grids.

The dedicated session on Hydrogen Storage highlighted the technologies required to render it possible. This sessions was coupled with a panel discussion with interlocutors from prestigious companies such as Imperial College, SINTEF, INNIO, etc.

Moreover, Investment & Economics of the Hydrogen business were discussed in order to provide investors insights on funding opportunities, possible partnerships, carbon pricing and investment risks.

At last, it should be mentioned that the Europe CCUS & Decarbonisation Summit was an insightful event which offered attending organisations an excellent opportunity for networking.