A new opinion piece argues that the UK's carbon capture and storage (CCS) program is being used to justify new gas power stations rather than to clean up hard-to-abate industry. The authors point out that only about 5% of the projected CCS spending relates to industrial emissions, while the rest would support new fossil gas plants, hydrogen from gas, and bioenergy. They estimate the total cost to the UK by 2050 at 264 billion pounds, based on Climate Change Committee data. The letter also highlights that CCS does not address methane leaks from the LNG supply chain, which the UN has identified as a major near-term climate threat. The authors contrast the 2,600 megatonnes of CO2 avoided by solar and wind globally in 2025 with the under 40 megatonnes captured by all CCS projects combined. They argue that a 100% renewable energy system is technically feasible and more cost-effective than subsidizing fossil fuel expansion under the guise of carbon capture.
