Research on the environmental impact of the carbon economy

Various climate scenarios show that varying amounts of unavoidable residual emissions could remain in 2045. In order to still achieve greenhouse gas neutrality, technical CO₂ sinks should be used in addition to natural sinks to offset these emissions. Only limited geological storage space is currently available for the storage of CO₂, which has so far mainly been earmarked for emissions from fossil sources. On behalf of Prognos, the project team is jointly investigating the potential of geological formations for CO₂ storage on behalf of the Federal Environment Agency. The focus is on the requirements for a procedure to identify environmentally compatible storage sites and for a permanent monitoring system to ensure the long-term integrity of the storage sites. The project also analyzes the potential impact of CO₂ leakage on the climate and environment. The potential market potential of CCS technology is then evaluated - particularly with regard to the resources required, possible conflicts of use and the time required to set up a suitable CO₂ infrastructure.