Experts' views on engaging the public with CCS

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a proven technology for the removal of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) from highly emitting processes, such as heavy industries and energy generation. Carbon capture technologies were first used in the... [ view full abstract ]

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a proven technology for the removal of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) from highly emitting processes, such as heavy industries and energy generation. Carbon capture technologies were first used in the 1920s for the separation of CO2 from other gases; this was combined with CO2 storage in the 1970s. Despite its use in industrial processes for decades, CCS is a new technology for the public. Although it is seen as crucial for the transition to a low carbon economy, especially for energy generation, it has met fierce opposition in recent demonstration projects in Europe. There are thus strong normative, substantive and instrumental rationales for public acceptance of large scale CCS.
In this study, we interviewed 12 experts with previous experience in public engagement with CCS, from the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and Norway. The experts were asked to identify barriers and drivers for CCS deployment and public engagement with CCS. Interviews lasted between 35 and 70 minutes. Thematic clustering and analysis revealed a small number of recurrent issues, including: (a) lack of political leadership on the matter; (b) lack of public knowledge on relevant technologies, which may not however always be necessary; and (c) difficulty communicating why CCS is necessary, and not a direct substitute for renewable energy generation. An interesting trend was the varying emphasis on these barriers, depending on the level of exerts’ direct engagement with the public. A surprise finding was that lack of funding and political leadership was a perceived barrier internationally and not only in the UK, where recent and unexpected government disengagement from CCS funding caught most stakeholders by surprise.
These emergent views inform a follow-up online survey with the UK public, currently in preparation, which will expand on and triangulate the present findings and lead to development of a toolkit for the benefit of those involved with public engagement with CCS.