Overview
- Germany’s amended carbon storage law expands CCS from research to commercial scale, prioritizing storage under the North Sea and permitting CO2 transport networks.
- Coal plants are effectively excluded while gas-fired power stations are eligible, a contested provision that fueled criticism from Green groups and some state politicians.
- The law designates CO2 pipelines and storage as of overriding public interest, bars sites in marine protected areas and near coasts, and lets states opt in to onshore storage.
- Industry groups welcomed the move as key to retaining cement, lime, chemicals and waste incineration, while Greenpeace and BUND called CCS costly, risky and a fossil subsidy.
- Experts flag long lead times and limits: infrastructure could take 7–10 years, costs are high, German North Sea capacity is modest, and Norway’s Northern Lights offers a working but subsidy‑reliant model.