The Department of Science and Technology (DST), government of India, launched the country’s first dedicated R&D Roadmap for Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS)—a major step forward in India’s strategy to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2070. The roadmap was formally unveiled by Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India.
A Game-Changing Strategy for Deep Decarbonization
India’s new CCUS roadmap is being hailed as a game-changer, as it outlines a coordinated strategy to accelerate research, enable technology deployment, and strengthen regulatory frameworks. It also aims to attract investments to scale up CCUS across India’s heavy industries.
CCUS technologies capture carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from high-emission sectors such as coal power plants, steel mills, and cement factories, and either store the CO₂ underground or repurpose it for industrial applications. By doing so, CCUS prevents CO₂ from entering the atmosphere and offers one of the most viable pathways for deep decarbonization in hard-to-abate sectors.
Why CCUS Matters for India’s Net-Zero Pathway
India’s industrial backbone relies heavily on coal, cement, steel, and other energy-intensive sectors. While clean-energy transitions are progressing, many industries cannot fully decarbonize without CCUS. This becomes even more critical as India works toward achieving its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)—including reducing emission intensity by 45% by 2030 and reaching full net-zero by 2070.
The new roadmap, titled “R&D Roadmap to Enable India’s Net Zero Targets through CCUS,” draws on nearly seven years of prior research, pilot studies, and recommendations from a High-Level Task Force (HTF). It consolidates these learnings into a national strategy focused on implementation and scale.
Balancing Commercial Readiness and Breakthrough Innovation
A key strength of the roadmap is its balanced approach. It aims to:
*Advance existing CCUS technologies toward commercial adoption in real industrial settings.
*Support breakthrough innovations for next-generation CCUS solutions that can sustainably meet long-term decarbonization needs.
By doing so, the roadmap ensures that India progresses on both near-term deployment and long-term technological leadership.
Industrial Test Beds to Drive Large-Scale Deployment
To demonstrate CCUS technologies in real-world conditions, the roadmap proposes establishing CCUS test beds across sectors such as:
*Power generation
*Steel manufacturing
*Cement production
These test beds, driven by public–private partnership (PPP) models, will validate technologies, address operational challenges, and build industrial confidence. This approach is expected to significantly accelerate India’s shift toward commercial-scale CCUS adoption.
Enabling Frameworks for Successful Implementation
Beyond technology development, the roadmap emphasizes the need to build strong enabling frameworks. It prioritizes:
- Human Capital Development
Training skilled professionals for CCUS research, operations, maintenance, and safety procedures.
- Regulatory and Safety Standards
Developing clear guidelines for CO₂ capture, transport, storage, monitoring, and long-term liability.
- Shared Infrastructure Development
Creating early common infrastructure—such as CO₂ transport pipelines and storage systems—to lower adoption barriers for industry.
These components ensure that India develops a robust ecosystem capable of supporting long-term CCUS deployment.
A Strong National Signal to Industry and Investors
With this roadmap, DST signals that CCUS is now a central pillar of India’s decarbonization strategy. This institutional prioritization is expected to unlock fresh investments, foster industry partnerships, and shorten the timelines for full-scale deployment. For sectors like cement and steel—where CO₂ is emitted during chemical processes and cannot be reduced through fuel-switching alone—CCUS becomes indispensable. Studies show that CCUS will play a dominant role in helping the cement sector reach net-zero by 2070.
Looking Ahead: The Scale of India’s CCUS Opportunity
Assessments suggest that India must capture hundreds of millions of tonnes of CO₂ per year by mid-century for CCUS to significantly contribute to the nation’s net-zero ambitions. As reported by indianmasterminds.com, the newly launched roadmap lays the foundation for achieving this scale by aligning R&D, industry participation, and infrastructure development.
