The evolution of the extent and the investment requirements of a trans-European CO2 transport network

The large-scale deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in Europe will require the development of new infrastructure to transport - using pipelines and ships - the captured CO2 from its sources (e.g. power plants) to the appropriate CO2 storage sites. This report describes the potential evolution of the CO2 transport network on the European scale for the period 2015-2050, in terms of physical size and capital cost requirements. These estimates have been made based on an innovative and sound methodology. The results however depend strongly on the assumptions that have been made, especially in view of the long-term horizon of the analysis, the uncertainty of CCS deployment rates and timelines, the lack of robust data on CO2 storage sites and the variability of pipeline construction costs. The size of the network grows steadily until 2030, to 8800 km, requiring around 9 billion euros of cumulative investment; followed by a step-change towards 2050, leading to a total investment of around 29 billion euros. This is based on a relatively conservative scenario of CCS deployment, as the amount of CO2 captured in 2050 does not meet the ambition for the decarbonisation of the European society by 2050. Scenarios compatible with the European vision for a decarbonised society by 2050, which will necessitate the capture of almost all CO2 emissions from both the power and the industrial sectors, would obviously be associated with a more extensive and hence more expensive CO2 transport network. By 2030, 16 EU Member States may be involved in crossborder CO2 transport. International coordination is therefore crucial for the development of an optimised trans- European CO2 transport network.