Commissioner Hoekstra pushes CCS scale-up across Europe
- EU target: 50 million tonnes annual CO₂ injection capacity in geological storage sites by 2030.
- The Commission reported first storage sites are expected to come into operation this year.
- Stakeholders urged investment in CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure and called for faster, more predictable permitting, cross‑border cooperation, transparency, data sharing and open access to infrastructure.
- Discussions will feed into Commission measures on CO₂ transport infrastructure and markets due by the end of 2026 as part of the Energy Union package.
EU target and progress
The EU has set a target of 50 million tonnes per year of CO₂ injection capacity in geological storage sites by 2030 to support industrial decarbonisation and competitiveness. The Commission reported that progress is under way and that the first storage sites are expected to come into operation this year.
Value chain and infrastructure needs
Market conditions and wider benefits
Stakeholders pointed to the Innovation Fund as a key driver of early CCS projects and stressed that stronger demand for low‑carbon products, including through public procurement, will be critical to encourage investment and accelerate deployment. They also highlighted CCS’s role in decarbonising energy‑intensive industries, strengthening competitiveness, developing new skills and creating regional opportunities in the clean transition.
Next steps
Commissioner Hoekstra closed by underlining the importance of building an integrated European market for CO₂ transport and storage based on cooperation between industry, Member States and the Commission. The Dialogue’s discussions will feed into the Commission’s work on future measures to support CO₂ transport infrastructure and markets, due by the end of 2026 as part of the Energy Union package.
Source: European Commission