Support to Regulatory Activities for Carbon Capture and Storage (STRACO2)

Project Overview

Location:
Europe and China

Dates:
January 2008 - June 2009

Funding Body:
European Commission

Project Status:
Completed

DEVELOPMENT Solutions (DS) was 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.

Most countries will continue to rely on fossil fuels for producing energy in the foreseeable future. Furthermore, a rise in global energy requirements necessitates the quick introduction of clean production methods. As an optional solution to this growing problem of reliance increasing energy production and consumption, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) was designed to minimise the environmental impact of rising CO2 levels in the biosphere through the capture and storage of CO2.

STRACO2 was 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, DEVELOPMENT Solutions , 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 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 aimed to build a basis for future EU-China cooperation and support policy makers on CCS regulation. The project started in January 2008 and was completed in June 2009. The project was finalised by virtue of stakeholder meetings in both Beijing and Brussels, at which th STRACO2 Final Report was publicised.

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

• Implementing the Stakeholder Needs Assessment which forms the basis for the research conducted by STRACO2;
• Leading the research component focused on the China applicability for European regulation and responsible for consolidating the overall project Draft Report due in January 2009;
• Contributing 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;
• Collaborating with other CCS projects to leverage synergies of project activities and research;
• Organising workshops in Brussels and Beijing as well as Expert Working Group Meetings.

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