THE CATO PROGRAMME IN THE NETHERLANDS ON CO 2 CAPTURE, TRANSPORT AND STORAGE Erik Lysen 1 , Andre Faaij 2 , Chris Hendriks 3 1 Utrecht Centre for Energy research, Utrecht University, NL 2 Dept of Science Technology and Society, Utrecht University, NL 3 Ecofys Energy and Environment, Utrecht, NL Abstract Greenhouse gas emission reduction targets agreed under the Kyoto protocol have prompted the Government of the Netherlands to support the CATO programme, implemented by a strong consortium of Dutch companies, research institutions, universities and environmental organisations, led by the Utrecht Centre for Energy research (UCE). Given its size, more than 25 million Euro, the CATO programme can be regarded as a national research programme on CO 2 Capture, Transport and Storage in the Netherlands. CATO aims to build a strong knowledge network in this field of research in the Netherlands, to assess and develop new knowledge, technologies and approaches for clean fossil fuel use, thereby supporting the transition to a fully sustainable energy system. Introduction In many countries considerable efforts are being undertaken to promote energy efficiency measures and an increased use of renewable energy sources. At the same time it is becoming clear that the combined effect of energy efficiency and renewables cannot yet achieve the required reductions in emissions alone. Decarbonisation of fossil fuels may also be required to reach the required stabilisation of CO 2 concentrations in the atmosphere. [fig 1] Research in the past ten years, also by partners of the CATO consortium, has shown that CO 2 sequestration has a large potential for the efficient and cost-effective reduction of the emission of CO 2 . The worldwide CO 2 storage potential is very large (according to IEA-GHG figures): • Depleted oil and gas reservoirs: 920 Gt CO 2 (45% of world emissions until 2050) • Deep saline aquifers: 400 – 10,000 Gt CO 2 (20 to 500% of world emissions until 2050) • Unmineable coal beds: > 15 Gt CO 2 • Deep ocean: probably very large (order > 100,000 Gt CO 2 ) but disputed According to the Netherlands National Environment Plan (NMP-4), CO 2 emissions in 2030 will have to be reduced by 120 Mton CO 2 per year in order to achieve a 30% reduction compared to the emissions in 1990. For the clean fossil fuel option a possible contribution of 50-60 Mton CO 2 has been estimated. This implies that, even if the objectives for the contributions of energy efficiency and renewables are met in this decade, a start will also have to be made with the actual storage of CO 2 in order to reach the required level in 2030. This will also contribute to the transition to a fully sustainable energy system, enabling (amongst others) the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier. A prime characteristic of the CATO programme is that all major stakeholders and a number of research groups from very different fields of expertise are working together on the common objective formulated above, within an integrated framework. This is essential, because the implementation of these systems depends on performance and impacts of all components of the system, from primary fuel up to the use of the final energy carrier and the final treatment of waste products like CO 2 . So far different institutions in the Netherlands, often from very different perspectives, have worked on a number of aspects or components of Clean Fossil Fuel (CFF) systems. CATO wants to streamline the objectives and perspectives of these activities and integrate them into a comprehensive programme and network, closely connected to international networks in which the partners of CATO participate. Also it aims to assess and develop new knowledge, technologies and approaches for clean fossil fuel use, especially those relevant to The Netherlands. The strategic results of the CATO programme will be found in the following areas: • The deployment of various CFF systems can lead to improved stability and security of energy supply due to a shift from oil to coal, natural gas and unconventional resources such as ECBM. Provided CFF options meet a wide array of sustainability criteria (which is a key objective for the CATO programme), they could cover over 50% of the total energy supply of the Netherlands (as well as in many other countries) in 2030-2050. This means that knowledge on CFF options is of strategic importance for energy security and supply and the planning of energy infrastructure on (supra-) national scale. • CFF options could become responsible for the bulk of GHG emissions reductions halfway through this century at a low cost level. Provided that a set of essential criteria is met, CFF may prove to be an essential approach towards an effective climate protection policy. Assuming 40 - 80 Mton CO 2 emissions are avoided per year at 50 Euro/ton CO 2 for expensive options (as would be the case for parts of the renewables and of the energy efficiency improvement options) compared to potentially 20-30 Euro per ton CO 2 for advanced CFF options, a cost saving in the order of magnitude of 1 – 2 billion Euro per year might be achieved.