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Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a set of technologies designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by capturing carbon dioxide (CO₂) from large industrial point sources, such as power plants or cement plants, before it reaches the atmosphere. Once captured, the CO₂ is compressed and transported—usually through pipelines or ships—to be safely stored deep underground in geological formations. By preventing CO₂ from entering the atmosphere, CCS helps combat climate change by significantly reducing emissions from industrial sources.

Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) refers to technologies that capture carbon dioxide emissions from industrial processes and then permanently bind this captured CO₂ into products, such as building materials. Unlike CCS, which stores CO₂ underground permanently, CCU can permanently bind captured carbon into products. While some CCU products can store carbon temporarily in products as fuels, CCU can be compatible with net zero only when the CO₂ is stored permanently.

Biogenic CO₂ capture and storage (BioCCS), also known as Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), involves capturing CO₂ emissions that originate from biogenic feedstocks like plants or wood. These biological sources naturally absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere as they grow. When biomass is combusted or refined through processes like fermentation, the resulting CO₂ emissions can then be captured using CCS and stored underground in geological formations. Because the process captures carbon originally drawn from the atmosphere by plants, BioCCS can effectively remove CO₂ from the air, making it possible to achieve negative emissions. BioCCS is therefore a key method which can produce carbon dioxide removals (CDR).

Direct Air Capture and Storage (DACCS) is an innovative technology designed to directly remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) already present in the ambient air. DACCS systems use specialized chemicals or filters that capture CO₂ directly from the air. Once captured, this CO₂ is concentrated, compressed, and transported for permanent storage underground in geological formations. DACCS differs from point source CCS because it does not rely on capturing emissions at specific industrial sites where CO₂ can be captured in large volumes. Instead, it can CO₂ already accumulated in our atmosphere, potentially offering a solution for actively reducing global atmospheric CO₂ levels. Like BioCCS, DACCS is also key method which can also produce carbon dioxide removals (CDR).