Carbon Capture: Innovation Rises as Investment Stalls

Carbon capture is on a roller coaster these days. Projects in the sector attracted more than $11 billion in 2023, almost double the investment figure from the year before, only to see growth stall in the first half of 2024. Fortunately, carbon removal technology reaches beyond the traditional ‘CCS’ model of carbon capture and storage (or ‘CCUS’ when a utilization component is involved). Coming from a small base, direct air capture, or DAC, is gaining momentum, and new technologies such as direct ocean removal are proving to be hubs of innovation.

On today’s show, Brenna Casey, a member of BloombergNEF’s Sustainable Materials team, joins Dana to discuss new directions in carbon sequestration, how tax credits and other policies are shaping CCS projects around the globe, and what whales have to do with capturing carbon. The episode draws on BNEF research including CCUS Market Outlook 1H 2024: Trough of Disillusionment and Direct Air Capture’s Technology Battle to Heat Up in 2030s.

Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com

Links to research notes from this episode:

Tech Radar: Direct Ocean Carbon Dioxide Removal - https://www.bnef.com/insights/34401

CCUS Market Outlook 1H 2024: Trough of Disillusionment - https://www.bnef.com/insights/34161

Direct Air Capture’s Technology Battle to Heat Up in 2030s - https://www.bnef.com/insights/33877

Direct Air Capture Technologies: Primer - https://www.bnef.com/insights/33877

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