Table 4 Policy scenarios for bioenergy with carbon capture and storage
From: Perceptions of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage in different policy scenarios
Policy scenario | Description |
|---|---|
Mandating BECCS (group one, coercive scenario) | Mandating BECCS RDD&D would involve governments taking away resources from fossil fuel energy companies or influencing them through rules and directives which mandate them to act in accordance with what is ordered. This would be done through imposing taxes and standards: |
Taxes: Governments would place a carbon tax on new and existing fossil fuel power plants to encourage a shift towards alternative fuels, such as biomass, and the capture of carbon dioxide. | |
Standards: Governments would place a direct obligation on new and existing fossil fuel power plants to be converted to biomass energy and equipped with a carbon capture and storage system from a specified date. Failure to comply would result in a fine. | |
Funding BECCS (group two, supportive scenario) | Funding BECCS RDD&D would involve governments handing out resources to fossil fuel energy companies as well as scientists and entrepreneurs developing BECCS technology. This would be done through providing fixed payments and a price guarantee: |
Fixed payments: Governments would pay a fixed amount to operators of BECCS based on how much carbon dioxide they remove from the atmosphere. | |
Price guarantee: Governments would guarantee a higher price for producers selling energy derived from BECCS facilities, as opposed to other kinds of power station. | |
Persuasion of BECCS (group three, persuasive scenario) | Persuading fossil fuel energy companies to research, develop, demonstrate and deploy BECCS would involve governments transferring knowledge and communicating through reasoned argument. This would be done through lobbying and certification: |
Lobbying: Governments would seek to persuade leaders of the energy sector of the benefits of BECCS as a form of energy generation, and would convene multi-stakeholder fora and industry roundtables to make the case for a transition to BECCS. | |
Certification: Governments would introduce an accreditation scheme that would allow companies that produce or distribute BECCS-derived energy to advertise that fact with a special logo. |
