German government launches carbon capture and storage framework

The German government published its new carbon management strategy and draft carbon storage law (KSpG) on 26 February 2024. The KSpG revises understandings of carbon neutrality to include CO₂ savings made through carbon capture and storage (CCS). The government says that the legislation primarily aims to support hard-to-abate sectors like cement, while coal-fired power plants will be barred from future CO₂ pipeline access. Heidelberg Materials CEO Dominik von Achten was alongside politicians at the strategy launch. The producer’s Brevik cement plant in Norway is set to become carbon neutral through the capture and storage of 400,000t/yr of CO₂.

German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck said “Achieving our climate targets without CCS is impossible.”