Case Study STRACO2

Project Overview

Location:
Europe and China

Dates:
January 2008 - June 2009

Funding Body:
European Commission

Project Status:
Ongoing

DEVELOPMENT Solutions (DS) is part of the Support to Regulatory Activities for Carbon Capture and Storage Project (STRACO2), responsible for the research on applicability of EU CCS Regulation in China and providing managerial and organisational support to the project.

Carbon Dioxide is now widely accepted as the major driving force behind Climate Change. Most countries will continue to rely on fossil fuels for producing energy in the foreseeable future. This rise in global energy requirements necessitates the quick introduction of clean production methods. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is designed to minimise the environmental impact of rising CO2 levels in the biosphere through the capture and storage of CO2.

STRACO2 is designed to support the development of a regulatory framework for CCS in the European Union and to research possibilities of using EU CCS regulation as a best practice study for CCS regulation in China. To achieve these goals, the consortium was formed with three Chinese partners (The Administrative Centre for China’s Agenda 21, Institute of Engineering Thermo-Physics, Institute of Policy and Management) and six European partners (Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minièrs, DS, Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research TNO, Mälardalen University, Royal Institute of Technology, World Business Council for Sustainable Development). The research carried out by the consortium is focused on Safety and Liability, Site Qualification and Certification, Incentivisation and Financing, Crosscutting Issues and CCS Policies in China. With research focusing on the applicability of European regulation to the Chinese political and economical situation, the project also aims to build a basis for future EU-China cooperation and support policy makers on CCS regulation. The project started in January 2008 and will run until the end of June 2009.

DS has managed or assisted consortium partners in all aspects of project implementation, including the following activities:

• Organised the Expert Working Group Meetings, held in Brussels and Beijing to coordinate the research work of the consortium partners;
• Implemented the Stakeholder Needs Assessment which forms the basis for the research conducted by STRACO2;
• Leads the research component focused on the China applicability for European regulation and responsible for consolidating the overall project Draft Report due in January 2009;
• Contributes to the overall stakeholder community engagement through presentations at conferences and visibility activities in order to raise awareness of the importance of regulatory issues in the area of CCS;
• Collaborates with other CCS projects to leverage synergies of project activities and research;
• Assist project visibility activities including the organisation of the International Regulatory Conference on 12-13 November in Orleans, France which will discuss all relevant issues regarding EU regulation of CCS and the prospects of cooperation between the EU and China;
• Organise workshops in Brussels and Beijing in April 2009 to present the findings of the consortium to the stakeholder community in order to receive, gather and incorporate  feedback into the final report.

For more information on the STRACO2 Project please go to our website: www.euchina-ccs.org