Renewables a better bet to cut carbon emissions than carbon capture and storage

An image showing electric windmills and solar panels

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Slow uptake and higher energy pay-off make CCS less effective route to reducing emissions

Solar and wind power are more effective way to cut carbon dioxide emissions than carbon capture and storage (CCS), a new study has found. The international team considered the poor uptake of CCS technologies in fossil-fuel power plants against their energy return on energy invested (EROEI). Comparing this with renewables the researchers found that while CCS technologies could reduce greenhouse gas emissions, they are insufficient to fulfil their planned role in reaching climate change targets by 2050.