Implementing carbon capture and storage in the waste sector: Policies, strategies, and inconsistencies

If the world is to continue incinerating waste, carbon capture and storage (CCS) is necessary. Simultaneously, the considerable fraction of biogenic carbon dioxide (CO₂) in waste means that the successful implementation of CCS in the waste-to-energy sector would result in carbon avoidance and carbon removal. Though this makes the prospect of CCS in waste-to-energy attractive, it has proven challenging to realise. The paper explores how CCS implementation in the waste sector is influenced by the current configuration of a country’s waste sector, strategic choices regarding emissions-reductions in the waste sector, and the policies and regulations that support – or not – these choices. The article focuses on these three aspects in three Northern European countries: Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Regarding sectoral configuration, the paper suggests that strong linkages between waste-to-energy and district heating – as exemplified by Sweden – represents a potential challenge for CCS implementation. Regarding policy direction, none of the three countries thematise potential trade-offs between different strategies for reducing emissions in the waste sector. This is also reflected in the weak consistency in their respective policy mixes: though all three countries recognise that waste-to-energy facilities are apt candidates for implementing CCS, there is no systematic effort to realise CCS in waste-to-energy. Rather, efforts are largely driven by the individual operators, though often through state-funded initiatives.