ZEP responded to the consultation on the list of candidate Projects of Common Interest in cross-border carbon dioxide transport networks highlighting that securing political support for the list of candidate projects on cross-border CO2 infrastructure is vital. These projects are on the right track to become operational before 2025.
CO2 infrastructure projects call for European legislators to extend the scope of existing legislation – such as the TEN-E regulation and EU ETS directive – to prepare for the rollout of CO2 and clean hydrogen infrastructure. As indicated in the European Taxonomy for Sustainable Activities, all modes of CO2 transportation to permanent geological storage – pipeline, ship, barge, train, truck – enable other economic activities to achieve climate change mitigation. This outcome is critical and should be preserved and reflected in revised TEN-E regulation, the EU ETS directive the EU ETS Monitoring and Reporting Regulation, as it will allow near-ready CO2 transport and storage projects to be realised and to create opportunities for numerous CO2 emitters throughout the entire EU area to have access to low-cost decarbonisation pathways. Repurposing existing natural gas infrastructure should also be discussed and the potential for CO2 transport should be assessed.
