New IPCEI initiative for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects (potentially)

The Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI), are strategic European project initiatives designed to fost innovation and competitiveness in the EU. Within an IPCEI initiative, national projects come together to form one large project that contributes to major societal goals and challenges. A new IPCEI initiative may be on it’s way to support Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects!

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is needed to combat CO₂ emissions

With the adoption of the EU Green Deal and the European Climate Act, as well as the climate targets of 2030 and beyond, new technologies and innovations are needed to combat CO₂ emissions. One technology is underground storage of CO₂, thus ensuring that CO₂ does not enter the atmosphere. This technology is called Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and is cited as a necessary component to achieve CO₂ targets in Europe. The European Commission (EC) recognises the difficulties in developing a viable business case for CCS projects, which require significantly large investments and currently the public funding options and incentives are limited.

Innovation Fund, CEF-Energy or an IPCEI?

At European level, there are two programmes that offer opportunities for significant grant funding for CCS projects: the Innovation Fund and CEF-Energy.

• Innovation Fund has supported several CCS projects, but funding was mainly focused on the carbon capture part of the project. Financing the infrastructure such as pipelines and storing the CO₂ was possible to a limited extent and only with specific conditions. The Innovation Fund is therefore not suitable for most of the developers and operators of CCS projects.
• Additionally, CEF-Energy is the most suitable programme for CCS projects. However, the available budget is limited and will decrease in the coming years and competition is very high and is also increasing on the topic of CCS. To be eligible, a project must be part of the PCIs, and number of CCS PCI projects increased from 6 to 14.

To solve this problem and provide more opportunities for CCS projects, the EC is now considering using an IPCEI approach. An IPCEI call specifically for CCS projects. IPCEIs are interesting because they allow national projects to receive more funding than is normally possible within state aid rules. Up to 100% of the funding gap can be funded and no maximum grant amount is set. This makes an IPCEI very interesting for large-scale CCS projects. An IPCEI for CCS projects could be a game changer in realising a extensive CCS infrastructure in the EU!

Express your interest

We recommend to reach out to the respective Member States to express your interest. After a Member State submits a Declaration of Intent to the European Commission and thus participates in an IPCEI, you can register your project in a National Expression of Interest. After that, you can submit the national application. Would you like to have some advice? Or support with the national application? Our specialists will be happy to supporting you! Contact us via info@hezelburcht.com, call us directly on 088 495 20 00 or fill in the form below.