CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, has released the Australian Carbon Dioxide Removal Roadmap detailing the potential for a novel CDR industry that could help the nation, and the rest of the world, reach net zero.
Achieving net-zero emissions to meet the goals of the international Paris Agreement is only possible if countries simultaneously remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere and reduce emissions.
Australia is projected to require between 133–200 megatonnes (Mt) of CO2 removed from the atmosphere per year by 2050.
Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) refers to approaches that remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. CDR differs from carbon capture and storage (CCS), which seeks to remove carbon before it enters the atmosphere.
The roadmap estimates the capacity and cost of a selection of novel CDR technologies and identifies the next steps required to develop and deploy them at scale in Australia. The following approaches are considered:
- direct air capture and storage
- biomass carbon removal and storage
- ocean alkalinity enhancement
- enhanced rock weathering.
The roadmap outlines Australia’s potential to develop and deploy these CDR technologies to complement other emission reduction approaches and nature-based CDR (in which carbon is stored biologically on shorter timescales, from decades to a century). It provides a framework for government, industry, researchers, and communities to foster the responsible development of a new CDR industry.
CSIRO CarbonLock Director and co-author Dr Andrew Lenton said Australia’s natural resources and renewable energy assets provide a unique value proposition for the large-scale deployment of novel CDR, offering advantages few other regions can match.
“There are also other emerging novel CDR approaches, such as mineral carbonation, that will only strengthen Australia’s position," he said.
The roadmap modelling shows that even under conservative assumptions, Australia has the potential capacity for up to 330 Mt of CO₂ removal per year by 2050 using novel technologies considered in this report. Only a portion of this would be required when combined with existing conventional CDR approaches.
It could also position Australia to increase our engagement in international carbon markets as they develop.
CSIRO Futures Associate Director and co-author Mr Vivek Srinivasan said the roadmap focuses on understanding approaches that are scalable and durable, and economically viable.
“At present, the costs associated with novel CDR are high. Nevertheless, across Australia and overseas, novel CDR projects are already active, demonstrating the viability of these technologies. There is an opportunity to further build a novel CDR industry in Australia, as costs fall and demand increases.”
However, to realise this potential will depend on significant investment in technology development and infrastructure and resources, supported by targeted workforce development and active community engagement.
This includes working in partnership with communities and Traditional Owners through transparent engagement, equitable benefit-sharing, culturally informed planning, and building social acceptance necessary for long-term success and legitimacy.
It will also require an environment that supports innovation and investment, as well as strong international collaboration to fast track the deployment of these emerging approaches.
The roadmap is led by CSIRO and supported by partners including Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Google, Geoscience Australia and the South Australian, Western Australian and New South Wales state governments. It builds on decades of CSIRO carbon dioxide research and innovation.
Read the full report: Australian Carbon Dioxide Removal Roadmap.
Find out more: CarbonLock.
