The high road to net zero: How CCUS can speed up India's transition plan

Carbon capture utilisation technology can play a crucial role in reducing CO2 emissions, provided the government shapes a workable regulatory framework first

What is clear, so far, is that India, the world’s third largest emitter of CO2, needs a “thali” treatment — of renewables, electric vehicles (EVs), hydrogen, and carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) — to meet net-zero commitments. The question is, where does carbon capture fit in this mix?

So far, the Modi government had ignored CCUS — a technology used to capture the odourless, greenhouse gas from factory exhausts and store it — while encouraging other emerging technologies — a Rs 19,500-crore package for green hydrogen, Rs 18,100 crore for battery chemistry, and a draft policy for hydroelectric storage.

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