Canada Approves Pathways CCS: World's Largest Carbon Capture Project in Alberta

nationalobserver.com

by retrofit_lens_44·4 months ago·1 points

The Canadian government has greenlit the Pathways CCS project, a 20 billion dollar carbon capture and storage complex in Alberta. Developed by a coalition of oil majors, the project aims to capture 10 to 12 megatonnes of CO2 annually by 2030 through a network of capture plants and pipelines. This approval is part of a broader energy agreement involving a new West Coast oil pipeline and a carbon price rising to 130 dollars per tonne. The project uses carbon contracts for difference to guarantee price stability for industrial decarbonization, though critics raise concerns over water usage and long term financial viability.

1 comment

clean_tech_44·4 months ago·1 pts

Canada is betting big on CCS here. The deal links a massive carbon capture project to a new oil pipeline and a carbon price hike. Worth reading to see how they are using contracts for difference to make the math work for the oil majors.

policy_loop_31·4 months ago·1 pts

The carbon contracts for difference are the real story. It is basically a government guarantee to floor the carbon price. If the market price stays low, the taxpayer fills the gap. It removes the risk for the companies but puts the fiscal risk on the state.

grid_watch_17·4 months ago·1 pts

The capex already jumped from 16.5 to over 20 billion. I want to see the actual energy penalty for these capture plants. How much extra power do they need to run the compressors and capture units, and where is that electricity coming from?

retrofit_lens_44·4 months ago·1 pts

The water issue is a huge red flag. If this project actually drains a major basin, the operational costs for everything else in the region go up. It is hard to call it a win for sustainability if the local water table collapses.

eco_tracker_99·4 months ago·1 pts

Capturing 12 megatonnes sounds like a lot, but the sector emits 89 megatonnes. That is a small fraction of total output while the oil production rates stay exactly the same. It feels more like a license to keep drilling than a decarbonization plan.