Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) projects saw modest growth over the past year, with the industry shifting its focus toward advancing existing developments, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
The agency’s latest CCUS Projects Database update, covering progress from Q1 2024 to Q1 2025, shows steady but limited gains in operational capacity and project maturity.
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The report which tracks developments from the first quarter of 2024 through to early 2025, shows global operational capacity for capturing and storing carbon dioxide has reached just over 50 million tonnes, slightly up from the previous year.
Looking ahead to 2030, the IEA reports that annual CO₂ capture capacity could rise to approximately 430 million tonnes, based on the current project pipeline.
Storage capacity, in turn, is expected to increase to around 670 million tonnes, a 10% rise from earlier projections.
Although these developments represent progress, they are not yet sufficient to place the sector on track for net zero emissions by mid-century.
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By GlobalDataNevertheless, there are indications of momentum, with various first-of-their-kind projects either starting construction or becoming operational across different industries and regions, the report says.
A key trend identified in the IEA’s findings is a growing focus on pushing forward projects already in the pipeline, rather than initiating new ones.
Projects in the early planning stages have seen a reduction in total planned capacity, while those in advanced development or currently under construction have increased, now representing 60% of the total pipeline.
If all projects currently under construction are completed, existing global capture capacity would nearly double.
This would mark the first such expansion since the inception of the IEA’s CCUS Projects Database.
The number of newly commissioned operational projects remained stable compared to the previous year.
In 2024, eight new CCUS facilities began operations. However, most were small-scale, capturing or storing as little as 5,000t of CO₂ annually.
As a result, the overall increase in operational capacity over the year was modest.
Point-source capture – which involves CO₂ emissions directly from industrial and power installations – continued to expand at a pace similar to that of recent years.
Natural gas processing facilities remain the primary source of operational capture capacity, continuing a historical pattern.
This dominance is expected to persist in the short term, driven in part by a major investment decision in Indonesia’s liquefied natural gas sector, the report noted.
Due to the relatively high capture volumes and low costs involved, natural gas processing is likely to maintain a significant share of global capacity.
Projects in hydrogen production, direct air capture, and other industrial sectors make up over half of those expected to become operational by 2030.
IEA noted that several sectors without previous CCUS involvement made notable progress last year.
In the UK, the first natural gas power station equipped for carbon capture received final approval in 2024, with a planned annual capture capacity of 2 million tonnes.
On the other hand, Sweden saw its largest CO₂ removal project reach the same milestone, involving a combined heat and power facility.
Furthermore, a Chinese plant became the first globally to capture emissions from cement production.
Australia launched the world’s first large-scale CO₂ storage operation in a depleted gas field. Kenya also began constructing a direct air capture pilot project, having secured investment and forward purchase agreements for carbon credits.
Indonesia’s Tangguh natural gas processing site received final approval for a large-scale CCUS project, further contributing to regional momentum.
As these facilities progress, more projects are expected to come online in 2025, including a large-scale capture facility at a Norwegian cement plant and a direct air capture plant in the US.
The IEA notes that although CCUS technologies are being applied to new sectors, there is a growing regional concentration.
Around 80% of capture capacity expected to become operational by 2030 is located in North America or Europe, up from just under 60% of the current total.
This concentration raises questions about geographic equity in CCUS deployment. The sector’s future direction could be shaped by emerging market players, supply chain pressures, and increasing demand from new industries.
In particular, the growth of data centres could spur additional interest in low-emissions power solutions.
The IEA also highlighted increased activity in China and the Middle East, with both regions strengthening their commitments to CCUS. As more projects move forward, growing demand for capture technology and equipment may place strain on existing supply networks, the report cautioned.
