Carbon Abatement Technologies

SACOME calls on the State Government to implement policies that incentivise the development of carbon abatement technologies such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).

Commercial CCS offers a viable pathway to reducing emissions and positions Australia to continue as a leading energy exporter and manufacturer of energy-intensive materials.

The International Energy Agency has forecast that a hundredfold increase in CCS is required between now and 2050 to achieve the world’s climate goals pursuant to their Sustainable Development Scenario – from approximately 40 million tonnes of CO2 currently stored each year to 5.6 billion tonnes in 30 years.

The use of CCS will be a critical tool for hard-to-abate sectors (like cement and steel manufacturing) in offsetting their emissions while maintaining a long-term national strategic advantage. Santos and its Joint Venture partner Beach Energy are constructing the $200 million Moomba CCS facility, one of Australia’s largest infrastructure investments in reducing carbon emissions. At full operation, the Moomba CCS facility will store 1.7 million tonnes of CO2 per year and is expected to be online by early 2024.

SACOME calls for CCS incentives to be afforded the same priority as hydrogen initiatives, including consideration of the impact of CCS royalties as a disincentive to greater investment in CCS.

​Given the significant growth prospects from the economic and environmental imperative to decarbonise, as well as interest in CCS/ decarbonisation opportunities from trading partners including Japan and South Korea, SACOME calls for consideration by the South Australian Government of appropriate funding supports for the construction of a dedicated CO2 pipeline from Moomba to Port Bonython as a means of facilitating international carbon storage.