Carbon Loop #015
It’s still the end of the month somewhere
A newsletter by the CCUSNA dedicated to highlighting the Australian carbon capture, utilisation and storage industry.
(guess who forgot there were only 30 days in November?)
🎟️ CCUSNA Event — CCS in Australia: Lessons from the Past ..
I’ve finally remembered to plug one of the CCUSNA Events! And it’s happening in just two days! Perth people: Be there or be square.
Since 2008, Reinoud Blok has helped shape Australia’s CCS capability across major gas and LNG projects. He’ll share lessons from Australia’s first CCS wave, and why those learnings remain relevant to the hub-scale developments emerging today.
Also featuring a 2025 CCUS industry wrap from CCUSNA Chair, Rosie Johnstone.
When: Wed 3 Dec, 5:00–7:30pm
Where: The Shoe Bar, Yagan Square
Tickets: $40 members / $55 non-members
🏛️ EPBC Reform Bills Pass Parliament ..
In the last issue, I wrote about the Federal Government’s proposed reforms to the Australia’s national Environmental Law (the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation - or EPBC - Act), and concerns regarding a proposed ‘climate trigger’ that some groups were agitating for.
Well the first tranche of those reforms is now law. The reforms establish Environment Information Australia, modern compliance tools, and groundwork for a future federal Environmental Protection Authority. No climate trigger.
Read more: Environment Protection Reform Bills passed by the Australian Parliament
🧭 Northern Australia Inquiry Recognises CCS as a Strategic Industry ..
Just in case you missed it, there is an open Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into emerging industries across Northern Australia, and it identifies CCS as a priority enabler for economic development. Given two of Australia’s frontrunner CCS hubs sit squarely in this region, if you are at all involved in the CCUS value chain I’d encourage you to make a submission (even if only to plug your favourite industry newsletter).
Read More: Preparing for emerging industries across Northern Australia
☢️ Libs Go Nuclear ..
I try hard to avoid partisan politics - mostly because I think it’s all pretty dumb.
However, it’s hard to ignore that Australia’s main opposition party, the Liberal Party of Australia, has updated its climate policy and are no longer committed to achieving ‘Net Zero’ emissions reductions by 2050. Instead, they will target ‘responsible emissions reductions’ while balancing competing priorities, especially the risk of rising energy costs.
I don’t want to misrepresent their position and so I encourage you to read their policy yourself.
Some have suggested I should be pretty pleased with this pivot because the new policy explicitly supports a role for CCUS. And look, that sounds pretty great, doesn’t it?
But, no - I’ve not been all high-fives at our secret CCUS parties.
In fact, overall, I have to confess I’ve been struggling with a growing sense of pessimism since the announcement.
I genuinely believe there is an important role for CCUS — in the right spots — to reduce global carbon emissions and benefit our planet. And I think the last thing this fledgling industry needs is to become a partisan political issue. I would much prefer a world in which both political parties are united in the importance of significant emissions reductions and the role for a range of technologies, including CCUS, in getting us there.
I worry this shift from our main opposition party is going to erode investor confidence in major decarbonisation projects, and will force the Federal Government to oppose CCUS Projects simply as a way of distancing themselves from their opposition.
But goodness knows I’ve been wrong many times before and so let’s all hope I’m wrong once again.
Read More: Affordable and Responsible: The Liberal Plan for Affordable Energy and Lower Emissions
🌏 Global CCUS momentum ..
🇦🇺 Australia & Asia-Pacific
🇦🇺 CCA progress report: Australia’s emissions cuts must double in the 5 years to 2030 and triple in the decade to 2035. Climate Change Authority
🇦🇺 Record emissions drop: Australia records its largest annual emissions fall — but the easy gains are gone. ABC News
🇦🇺 24-25 Safeguard insights: 207 SFGM Facilities; Emissions reduced by 2.4% from 135.9 MtCO2-e to 132.7 MtCO2-e; Approx. 7m SMCs likely to be issued. Clean Energy Regulator
🇦🇺 Cleaner Fuels Program: Consultation opens on low-carbon liquid fuels, incl. e-fuels using captured CO₂. Still seems focused on bio-feedstocks so plz write and tell them to get on the eFuels bandwagon. Department of Infrastructure
🇦🇺 WA Inquiry submissions: Strong divide for/against CCS in responses to WA’s recent call for submissions on regional energy transition. WA Parliament
🇪🇺 Europe
🇪🇺 2040 target locks in space for removals: EU Council backs a 90% emissions cut by 2040, including a role for permanent carbon removals. Council of the EU
🇪🇺 Low-Carbon Fuels Act enters into force: Defines how CCS-enabled hydrogen/ammonia qualify as “low-carbon.” EUR-Lex
🇪🇺 STIP boosts e-fuels: €2.9b to 2027 for low-carbon aviation & maritime fuels; e-fuel auctions coming in 2026. Carbon Herald
🇪🇺 CBAM tightens verification: Mandatory inspections, dynamic CBAM certificate pricing and a de minimis exemption. Eurometal
🇪🇺 CO₂ storage momentum: Snapshot of the rapidly accelerating CO₂ storage + transport build-out under NZIA. LinkedIn
🇪🇺 CCSA update: New UK/EU milestones and policy progress advanced UK’s Teesside CCUS Hub. LinkedIn
🌐 Global industry & tech ..
🌐 WoodMac ETO: Industrial emissions remain stubborn; CCS role expands across all credible pathways. Wood Mackenzie
🌐 LanzaJet milestone: World’s first commercial ATJ-SAF plant; ATJ can also produce e-SAF from renewable H₂ + captured CO₂. LanzaJet
🌐 ExxonMobil hydrogen: Scaling low-emissions hydrogen linked with major CCS capacity. ExxonMobil
🌐 Turquoise hydrogen: UK gas storage hub launches methane-pyrolysis engineering studies utilising Australian technology. H2 View
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