How Carbon Capture Technology is Paving the Way to Net-Zero
In 2015, a historic moment unfolded in Paris as world leaders celebrated a groundbreaking achievement—the Paris Agreement on climate change. This legally binding international treaty set an ambitious goal: to limit global temperature rise to "well below 2°C" above pre-industrial levels while pursuing efforts to cap it at 1.5°C 2 . This target represents more than just a number—scientists identify it as a critical threshold beyond which climate impacts become dramatically more dangerous and widespread 3 .
A decade later, in 2024, the world recorded its warmest year on record, with global temperatures temporarily exceeding the 1.5°C mark, fueled by a combination of human emissions and natural variability like El Niño 3 . While the Paris Agreement's limit refers to long-term warming rather than single-year spikes, this milestone served as a stark reminder of the urgency of climate action. Achieving the Paris goals requires nothing short of a complete transformation of our energy systems and industrial processes—and one of the most promising technologies to help bridge this gap is Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS).
Once considered a niche concept, CCUS has emerged as a critical component in the global climate solution portfolio, particularly for industries that are notoriously difficult to decarbonize, such as cement, steel, and chemical manufacturing .
As we approach a pivotal moment in climate action, this article explores how CCUS technologies work, their connection to international climate targets, and the cutting-edge research that might just help us capture our way to a net-zero future.
At its core, CCUS is a three-step process that intercepts carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions before they enter the atmosphere and either puts them to productive use or securely stores them away. The technology addresses the fundamental problem of climate change—the accumulation of greenhouse gases from human activities—by creating a circular carbon economy.
Removing CO₂ from flue gases after fossil fuels are burned, typically using chemical solvents like amines 1 .
Converting fuels into a mixture of hydrogen and CO₂ before combustion, then separating the CO₂ 1 .
Burning fuel in pure oxygen instead of air, resulting in a more concentrated CO₂ stream that's easier to capture 1 .
Using specialized materials to capture CO₂ directly from ambient air, offering potential for addressing emissions from dispersed sources .
Once captured, the CO₂ is compressed into a supercritical state—a phase where it has the density of a liquid but the diffusivity of a gas—making it easier to transport and store 5 .
The utilization component transforms this captured carbon from a waste product into a resource. Innovative applications include converting CO₂ into fuels, plastics, and construction materials, or using it in processes like Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), where CO₂ is injected into oil fields to increase production while simultaneously storing the carbon 1 4 .
Finally, storage involves permanently sequestering CO₂ in deep geological formations such as saline aquifers, depleted oil and gas fields, or through mineralization processes where CO₂ chemically reacts with certain rocks to form stable carbonates 1 5 . This prevents the carbon from re-entering the atmosphere and contributing to climate change.
The connection between CCUS and the Paris Agreement runs deeper than shared climate goals—these technologies represent a pragmatic pathway to achieving the treaty's objectives, especially for the most challenging sectors of the global economy.
The Paris Agreement establishes a "net-zero" emissions target for the second half of this century, meaning that any remaining greenhouse gas emissions must be balanced by removal from the atmosphere 2 3 . While renewable energy sources like wind and solar can dramatically reduce emissions from electricity generation, they offer limited solutions for industrial processes that inherently produce CO₂ as a byproduct. This is where CCUS becomes indispensable—it provides a way to address these "hard-to-abate" emissions while maintaining industrial production .
The agreement operates on five-year cycles where countries submit increasingly ambitious climate action plans known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) 2 . CCUS offers nations a strategic option for meeting these commitments without completely overhauling their industrial base. The technology enables a just transition by allowing regions that depend on fossil fuels to gradually adapt their economies while still pursuing climate targets.
| Industry Sector | CCUS Application | Paris Agreement Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Cement Production | Capturing process emissions from limestone calcination | Addressing non-energy emissions that renewables cannot solve |
| Steel Manufacturing | Capturing emissions from blast furnaces or integrating with hydrogen production | Enabling decarbonization of critical infrastructure material |
| Chemical Industry | Using captured CO₂ as feedstock for plastics, fertilizers, and other products | Creating circular carbon economies while reducing emissions |
| Power Generation | Capturing flue gas emissions from fossil fuel plants | Providing grid stability during renewable energy transition |
| Oil and Gas | Using CO₂ for enhanced recovery while storing it underground | Transforming extraction processes to include carbon management |
Perhaps most importantly, CCUS provides a solution for achieving "negative emissions" when combined with bioenergy (BECCS) or direct air capture. These approaches actively remove CO₂ from the atmosphere, creating the possibility of offsetting emissions from sectors that may never be fully decarbonized . According to climate models assessed by the IPCC, most pathways that limit warming to 1.5°C rely on some amount of carbon dioxide removal to compensate for residual emissions 3 .
While carbon capture technologies continue to advance, ensuring the long-term security of stored CO₂ remains a critical research frontier. Geological sequestration—the process of injecting CO₂ deep underground—represents one of the most promising storage approaches, but its success depends on a complex interplay of physical and chemical factors.
To understand these dynamics, researchers at the National Engineering Research Center in China conducted a comprehensive review of the parameters affecting CO₂ storage efficiency, published in Frontiers in Earth Science in 2025 5 . Their work provides invaluable insights into the science of safe carbon storage.
The research team employed an integrated data analysis approach, examining multiple factors that influence the storage capacity of potential CCS sites. Rather than a single laboratory experiment, their review synthesized findings from numerous studies that simulated subsurface conditions through:
Using actual rock samples (typically sandstone) in specialized chambers that replicate the high-pressure, high-temperature conditions of deep geological formations.
Computer simulations that predict how injected CO₂ will move through and interact with surrounding rocks and fluids over centuries.
Testing how CO₂ dissolves in formation waters and reacts with mineral components to form stable carbonates 5 .
These experiments aimed to replicate what happens when supercritical CO₂ is injected into rock formations typically located 800 meters or more below the surface, where pressure and temperature conditions maintain the CO₂ in its supercritical state 5 .
The research identified several critical parameters that determine the effectiveness and security of geological CO₂ storage:
| Parameter | Impact on Storage | Optimal Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Rock Permeability | Determines how easily CO₂ can spread through storage formation | Moderate to high permeability (10-1000 millidarcys) |
| Porosity | Defines the available pore space for CO₂ storage | Higher porosity (15-30%) increases storage capacity |
| Caprock Integrity | Prevents vertical migration of CO₂ | Thick, continuous layers of low-permeability claystone or salt |
| Reservoir Depth | Affects CO₂ density and storage efficiency | >800 meters for supercritical state (higher density) |
| Temperature Gradient | Influences CO₂ behavior and chemical reactivity | Varies by geological setting; affects mineralization rates |
| Salinity of Formation Waters | Impacts CO₂ solubility and geochemical reactions | Higher salinity can reduce solubility but may enhance mineralization |
The findings revealed that rock permeability—a measure of how easily fluids can flow through pore spaces—is particularly crucial as it governs the injection rate and distribution of CO₂ within the storage formation 5 . Perhaps counterintuitively, very high permeability isn't always ideal, as it might allow CO₂ to migrate too far from the injection site, potentially complicating monitoring efforts.
The research also highlighted the importance of multiple trapping mechanisms that work together to secure CO₂ over different timescales:
Impermeable caprock layers physically preventing upward migration (effective immediately, lasts thousands of years).
CO₂ becoming immobilized in pore spaces by capillary forces (begins within years, continues for decades).
CO₂ dissolving in formation waters (occurs over decades to centuries).
CO₂ reacting with rock minerals to form stable carbonates (develops over centuries but provides permanent storage) 5 .
These chemical processes can be represented by equations that show how CO₂ transforms over time:
CO₂ + H₂O ⇌ H₂CO₃ (carbon dioxide forming carbonic acid) 5
2H₂CO₃ + CaMgSi₂O₆ ⇌ CaMg(CO₃)₂ + 2SiO₂ + 2H₂O (carbonic acid reacting with minerals to form stable carbonates) 5
The scientific significance of this research lies in its comprehensive framework for predicting long-term storage behavior. By understanding these parameters and processes, engineers can better select storage sites, design injection strategies, and monitor storage integrity—all critical factors for ensuring CO₂ remains securely trapped underground for millennia.
Advancing carbon capture technology requires specialized materials, reagents, and equipment. The field represents a convergence of chemistry, geology, and engineering, each bringing its own set of tools to the challenge.
| Reagent/Material | Function in CCUS Research | Application Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Amine-based solvents | Chemical absorption of CO₂ from gas streams | Post-combustion capture from power plant flue gases |
| Zeolites | Adsorption of CO₂ molecules onto porous surfaces | Development of solid sorbents for more energy-efficient capture |
| Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) | Highly selective CO₂ capture with tunable properties | Next-generation capture materials with potential for lower regeneration energy |
| MgO-based nanomaterials | Mineral carbonation and enhanced adsorption | Direct air capture and mineralization applications |
| Sandstone core samples | Simulating reservoir conditions for storage experiments | Testing injectivity, capacity, and trapping mechanisms |
| Supercritical CO₂ | Mimicking injected CO₂ behavior in geological formations | Studying flow dynamics, rock-fluid interactions, and sealing efficiency |
The development of novel materials like metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and MgO-based nanomaterials represents particularly promising frontiers 4 . These advanced materials offer the potential for more efficient, less energy-intensive capture processes—a critical consideration since the energy required to operate capture systems can significantly impact the overall economics and emissions balance of CCUS.
For geological storage research, sandstone cores from potential storage formations allow scientists to test how supercritical CO₂ will interact with specific geological settings before full-scale deployment 5 . This experimental work helps answer crucial questions about storage safety: How much CO₂ can a formation hold? How quickly can it be injected? What are the potential leakage pathways? The answers guide the design of monitoring programs that typically include seismic imaging, pressure monitoring, and geochemical sampling to verify that stored CO₂ remains securely contained 5 .
As CCUS technologies mature, the focus is shifting from laboratory research to real-world deployment. The year 2025 is being hailed by some energy experts as "the year of CCUS," reflecting growing consensus about its essential role in climate mitigation . However, significant challenges remain on the path to widespread implementation.
Identified in the research include developing CCUS "hubs and clusters" where multiple industrial facilities share transportation and storage infrastructure 4 . This approach significantly reduces unit costs through economies of scale and simplifies the regulatory process. China's near-term strategy, for example, focuses on CO₂ utilization for enhanced oil recovery while building toward pure storage applications as policies and technologies evolve 4 .
The economic viability of CCUS continues to depend heavily on policy support. Mechanisms like tax credits, carbon pricing, and direct research funding help bridge the cost gap between CCUS and conventional processes . As of 2025, countries are increasingly recognizing CCUS as eligible technology in their climate strategies, creating more stable investment environments.
Despite the challenges, the potential impact is substantial. Widespread deployment of CCUS could prevent billions of tons of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere while enabling the continued operation of vital industries during the clean energy transition . When combined with bioenergy or direct air capture, these technologies can actually create negative emissions—actively removing carbon from the atmosphere to compensate for hard-to-eliminate emissions from agriculture or aviation.
Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage represents more than just technical innovation—it embodies a pragmatic approach to addressing the climate crisis that acknowledges the complexity of modern industrial systems. As the world struggles to meet the ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement in the face of rising emissions and warming temperatures, CCUS offers a pathway to decarbonize the "hard-to-abate" sectors that renewable energy alone cannot address.
The scientific foundations for these technologies, particularly in geological storage, have advanced significantly, with researchers now able to predict long-term storage behavior with increasing confidence 5 . Material science innovations continue to improve the efficiency and reduce the costs of capture processes 4 . And perhaps most importantly, policy frameworks are increasingly aligning to support commercial deployment .
While CCUS is not a silver bullet—it must be deployed alongside renewables, energy efficiency, and other low-carbon technologies—it represents an essential tool in the climate solution portfolio. As we navigate the critical decades ahead, our ability to capture, utilize, and store carbon may well determine whether we can achieve a net-zero future while maintaining the industrial backbone of the global economy. The science is advancing; now implementation must follow with equal urgency to keep the Paris Agreement targets within reach.