DOE Releases Carbon Management Strategy For Net-Zero Emissions Future

The Department of Energy (DOE) has released its carbon management strategy for public comment. The strategy provides a comprehensive roadmap for the remainder of the decade that outlines the tools and approaches the DOE will use to develop and deploy carbon management solutions.

Carbon management systems capture carbon dioxide (CO₂) from industrial sources, power plants, and/or directly from the atmosphere, and transport the CO₂ for permanent storage or conversion into low-carbon fuels, chemicals, building materials, and other products. The strategy sets out a path for accelerating the innovation and deployment of carbon management technologies and infrastructure essential to achieving the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic climate and clean energy agenda and its goals of 100% clean electricity by 2035 and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions economy-wide by 2050—all while bolstering domestic industry and manufacturing and high-wage jobs in energy and industrial communities and regions across our nation. At the same time, the strategy outlines how DOE’s work on carbon management prioritizes community engagement, delivers clear benefits to local workers, and provides environmental protections in line with the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advance environmental justice and equity.

The strategy is focused on near-term actions that can position carbon management to scale as needed in subsequent decades. The near-term strategy through 2030 incorporates the following components:

• Focusing research, development, demonstration, and deployment funding on priority use cases
• Building out CO₂ transportation and storage infrastructure where it likely will be needed most in the future
• Supporting the implementation of effective and evidence-driven policies and regulations related to carbon management at other federal agencies
• Engaging communities and workers to ensure projects deliver benefits and mitigate potential risks to public health and the environment
• Supporting climate diplomacy efforts to accelerate the adoption of carbon management at scale globally in a way that aligns with the Paris Agreement.

DOE is soliciting additional comments from stakeholders, including industry, nongovernmental organizations, labor, state and local officials, tribal governments, community organizations, and the public. This input will assist DOE in ensuring the strategy meets the needs of stakeholders and communities involved in deploying carbon management projects—enabling these communities to do so with the greatest climate, economic, and environmental benefit, while also actively addressing concerns about the safety and efficacy of carbon management technologies.