What does carbon capture in the energy sector mean?

Carbon capture refers to the process of capturing and storing greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), which are released into the atmosphere during the combustion of fossil fuels, or converting them into a usable product. This process helps to reduce carbon emissions from fossil fuels, one of the main causes of climate change.

In simpler terms, CO2 gas from carbon-emitting sources such as power plants, industrial plants and transport vehicles is captured using specialised technologies and sequestered or processed before being released into the atmosphere. This is important to protect the environment and climate, because excess CO2 released into the atmosphere can trigger global warming and climate change problems.

Carbon capture technologies are recognised worldwide as an important tool to make energy production cleaner and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, studies and developments continue on the costs and effectiveness of these technologies.