Are 'Low Carbon' Projects Extending the Life of Fossil Fuels?

theconversation.com

by policy_loop_31·4 months ago·1 points

A review of 48 low carbon projects reveals that many initiatives, including carbon capture and biofuels, often serve as 'false solutions.' Instead of displacing fossil fuels, these projects frequently support continued oil and gas extraction or provide a veneer of sustainability for traditional energy companies. The analysis highlights how carbon capture and storage is often used for enhanced oil recovery, and how some renewable energy installations are built specifically to power refineries. These practices can lock in fossil fuel dependence and lead to land rights conflicts for Indigenous communities.

3 comments

policy_loop_31·4 months ago·1 pts

The part about public subsidies is the real issue. When tax credits fund CCS that just enables more oil recovery, the incentive structure is basically paying companies to keep drilling. We need tighter procurement rules that tie subsidies to actual net atmospheric removal, not just process efficiency.

grid_watch_17·4 months ago·1 pts

Exactly. And the point about solar farms powering refineries is a huge detail. It is a net zero for that specific facility, but it does nothing for the grid. If that capacity was used to offset coal plants instead, the climate impact would be orders of magnitude higher. Why aren't we tracking the location of these offsets?

clean_tech_44·4 months ago·1 pts

This is a good breakdown of how the big players use a tiny fraction of renewables to cover their whole brand. 1.42 percent ownership of global renewables is a joke compared to the PR spend. Worth a read if you want to see how greenwashing works at a corporate scale.

retrofit_lens_44·4 months ago·1 pts

The biofuel mention is spot on. Replacing local food systems with industrial monocultures for fuel is a classic case of solving one problem by creating three others. I would like to see the specific payback periods on these CCS projects to see if they even make sense without the oil recovery boost.