ZEP response to the inclusion of permanent CCU in EU ETS

The Zero Emissions Platform (ZEP), the EU trusted advisor on industrial carbon management, welcomes the opportunity to respond to the revision of the Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the conditions under which carbon dioxide emissions can be considered permanently stored through carbon capture and utilisation (CCU). ZEP supports the delegated act requirements for permanent capture and utilisation of CO2 in products, where the CO2 is permanently chemically bound and does not enter the atmosphere during normal use or end-of-life activities.

ZEP has advocated for the inclusion of CCU methods that ensure permanent storage of CO2, such as mineralization and the utilisation of CO2 in products with a lifetime of at least 100 years. The inclusion of permanent CCU in the ETS revision is a positive step and aligns with previous recommendations and calls for a revised and robust EU ETS regime. The EU ETS is a key driver for the development and deployment of low-carbon technologies necessary to mitigate the worst effects of climate change. This initiative sets the right conditions for the deployment of CCU technologies that do not merely delay emissions – in line with Europe’s climate ambitions.