“CCS requires a joint effort by all stakeholders.”

Everyone is talking about the North Sea. But what about onshore carbon storage? Much further south, the government of the German state of Baden-Württemberg has recognised the important role of CCS in climate protection since the last legislative term, and is currently laying the groundwork for its implementation on land. What is the current status of implementation, where could CO₂ be stored, and what are the next steps? To find out, we spoke to Dr Michael Münter, Director-General of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry for the Environment, Climate and the Energy Sector.

Dr Münter, why is Baden-Württemberg driving the CCS agenda forward?

We want to provide industries that are more difficult to decarbonise with a way forward in our state. This applies not only to the six cement works in Baden-Württemberg, but also to the lime industry and the waste management sector. At the start of 2024, we began working closely with these sectors, as well as other stakeholders such as trade associations and pipeline operators, in collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Following the Bundestag and Bundesrat's passing of the Carbon Dioxide Storage Act – which gives individual states the opportunity to examine and implement onshore storage where appropriate – we decided to do just that.

As early as October 2024, the government of Baden-Württemberg adopted a position paper on carbon management. What do you consider to be the most important guidelines in it?

It is crucial that CCS is only used for emissions that cannot be prevented or can only be prevented with great difficulty. This includes emissions from waste incineration, the lime and cement industries, and potentially parts of the chemical industry. Wherever possible, de-carbonisation should be achieved through means such as electrification. At the same time, the capture and storage processes must be safe.

What is the current status of implementation?

Firstly, we are continuing the work that we have already started. For instance, we are exchanging ideas and experiences with other federal states and countries, including Denmark, Austria and Switzerland. Secondly, we are making concrete preparations for the entire legislative process. This includes matters such as responsibilities, as well as the question of whether potential sites for future storage should be identified at this stage. Additionally, we are laying the groundwork for a feasibility study focusing on potential routes.

Does that mean there will be no transport by ship or train?

In the medium and long term, the volumes involved are simply too large for this. This may be a factor during the ramp-up phase and for individual sites, but we should not create path dependencies that hinder the roll-out of the pipeline network. We are also unlikely to be able to store everything in Baden-Württemberg and must therefore also discuss pipelines to offshore storage sites or a connection to a Europe-wide CO₂ pipeline network. And, of course, CCU – that is, the utilisation of captured CO₂ – also plays a role.

Which areas are suitable for onshore storage?

Geologically speaking, these are primarily the Upper Rhine Graben and the Molasse Basin in the Alpine foreland – which we share, however, with the state of Bavaria. We already know that there is a cap rock in both areas that could effectively and tightly contain gaseous substances. However, more detailed investigations will be needed.

Do you anticipate any conflicts of use, such as with geothermal energy in the Molasse Basin?

We expect very few conflicts of use; rather, we hope to see synergies. The subsurface is being investigated at various locations and for different purposes, such as geothermal energy, storing high-level radioactive waste, extracting raw materials, and CCS. All of these applications could benefit from sharing results, making their processes more efficient.

What do you see as the greatest challenges in this process?

Firstly, we need to investigate the most suitable rock formations in greater detail, and we need to do this quickly because the industry has just over a decade left to become climate-neutral. Secondly, there is the issue of funding. We cannot expect companies to bear this cost alone. A third factor is public acceptance. We are currently discussing various ways of involving the public. A joint effort by all stakeholders is required when it comes to CCS.

Thank you for speaking to eco@work.
The interviewer was Christiane Weihe.

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Speaking to eco@work: Dr Michael Münter, Director-General of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry for the Environment, Climate and Energy