Reprinted from "Carbon Capture and Storage is Happening Now" by Eric Benyon, Calgary Herald

Carbon capture and storage is the subject of much speculation. Analysts and commentators question the economics, safety, support for and viability of CCS development in Canada and around the world.

It has been described as an idea or concept that may or may not be pursued to help reduce greenhouse gases, and that may or may not be the best solution. What has been missed in much of this commentary is the reality that CCS is already happening, in Alberta, in Canada and around the world.

The International Energy Agency has identified CCS as a global priority and one of six crucial technologies for addressing climate change. The IEA's analysis suggests that CCS will contribute about one-fifth of required emissions reductions by 2050. It is a technology that cannot be ignored.

Another international organization, the Global CCS Institute, has identified 74 large-scale integrated CCS projects around the world that are planned, under development or in operation now, including projects in Canada, the U.S., Europe, Australia and New Zealand, China, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Canada was identified as having "robust projects under supportive settings."
Canada, in fact, is a leader in CCS development, with Alberta at the forefront.

Alberta has taken significant strides to implement CCS and, together with the federal government, is sharing the cost of starting up initial projects. The first projects, chosen by the government through a competitive bidding process, will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by three million to five million tonnes per year beginning in 2015. They are a critical step in helping to bring down technology costs and setting the stage for broader future deployment.

In addition to the Alberta-based projects, SaskPower is proceeding with a commercial scale CCS project at its Boundary Dam facility. Saskatchewan also has Cenovus's Weyburn enhanced oil recovery project, which has been operating successfully for a decade and has received international recognition for its CO2 monitoring program.

In B.C., Spectra Energy is evaluating CCS opportunities in the Fort Nelson area for application to the growing shale gas resource, and some work on CCS is underway in the Maritimes.

Clearly, CCS in Canada is much more than just an idea or concept.

Canadian companies are taking a global leadership position in CCS research and technology development. Recently DNV, a well-known international risk management firm headquartered in Norway, issued the world's first certificate of fitness for a CO2 storage development plan to Shell's Quest CCS project in Alberta.

According to DNV, "The expert panel validation is a first of its kind in the world and provides independent assurance to stakeholders that CO2 storage will be safely and responsibly man-aged."

CCS is a prudent risk-management investment to ensure continued development of Alberta's significant oilsands resources and continued use of Canada's plentiful coal reserves, while making significant reductions in CO2 emissions.

Today Canada, like most of the world, has an economy that is heavily reliant upon fossil fuels. We cannot simply replace the existing energy infrastructure over-night. CCS offers a bridging technology that allows us to use fossil fuels in a more sustainable way, continue to generate jobs, and maintain a strong, healthy economy, while we transition to a lower carbon energy future.

CCS is not a silver bullet to solve the greenhouse gas problem. We will need many technologies, including renewables and energy efficiency. But CCS does have an extremely important role to play in Canada's energy future. It is an essential tool based on tested and effective technologies that have been used safely for many years.

CCS offers the largest single opportunity for Canada to reduce its CO2 footprint in the next 40 years and is comparable in cost to other greenhouse gas-reduction technologies.
CCS is a crucial technology that will help us reach a sustainable energy future.

Eric Beynon is director of strategy and policy for ICO2N, a group of Canadian companies that has been working for the past six years to further the development of carbon capture and storage in Canada.

Link to full article on www.CalgaryHerald.com here