SPD wants strict rules for CO₂ storage

Berlin. The SPD parliamentary group in the German Bundestag continues to be critical of underground carbon dioxide capture and injection (CCS) or for industrial use (CCU) technologies and calls for strict rules for possible readmission in Germany. This came in a position paper that the executive committee of the parliamentary bloc decided on Monday to discuss by the parliamentary group on Tuesday. It is already available to the German Liberation Network (RND).

“We follow the principle of avoiding carbon dioxide before capturing carbon dioxide,” the paper says. The Social Democrats demand: “CO₂ avoidance measures must be given clear priority over CO₂ handling measures in the CO2 reduction hierarchy.”

SPD fears that storage will prolong fossil energy generation

From the SPD’s point of view, negative emissions technologies can only be considered for “unavoidable residual emissions”. “According to the current state of science and technology, these are process emissions, primarily in the cement, lime and glass industries and in the recycling of thermal waste,” says the position paper. The SPD deputies stressed that “the use of carbon dioxide capture and storage technology in connection with the generation and supply of fossil energy in Germany must be excluded.”

The paper expresses concern that generous CCS regulations could extend the life of ancient fossil techniques. “A slowdown or avoidance of CO2 innovation R&D should be ruled out as a result of CCU/S implementation,” she says.

As an example, SPD deputies cite steel production, which was once considered an industrial process with inevitable carbon dioxide emissions, which has now been technically overcome. This worked while CCS was ruled out in Germany. This pressure to innovate must be maintained, regardless of whether Germany is involved in CCS or not,” the comrades wrote.

It is not currently legally possible to approve new CCS storage facilities in Germany. Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Grenz) has announced that he will introduce a law this year to allow technology with inevitable emissions.