Full definition
Capture of CO2 at an industrial facility, followed by transport and deep geological storage. The sector is scaling up: according to Global Status of CCS 2025, 77 operational facilities worldwide have a combined capacity of 64 Mt/year (+54 % operational facilities over the 12 months preceding October 2025), with a total pipeline of 513 Mt/year including 44 Mt under construction. Costs remain highly dependent on stream concentration: $15-35/t for concentrated streams (gas processing, ethanol), $50-120/t for cement, steel or electricity, and currently $340-1,000/t for direct air capture (DAC). In practice, reserved for residual emissions that are difficult to avoid (cement, steel, chemicals). Distinct from CDR: capturing an emission does not mean removing CO2 from the atmosphere.
Key figures
- 77 facilities / 64 Mt/yearglobal operational CCS capacity at the end of 2025 (+54 % over 12 months), pipeline of 513 Mt/year (Global CCS Institute, Global Status of CCS 2025)
- $50-120/tcapture cost for cement, steel or electricity; $15-35/t for concentrated streams; $340-1,000/t for DAC (IEA + CBO)
Questions and answers
Is CCS a solution for my transition plan?
Unless you operate a cement plant, steelworks or major chemical site, no: CCS is a technology for heavy industrial residual emissions. For almost all companies, the levers are efficiency, electrification, purchasing and logistics, at a fraction of the cost per tonne.
What is the difference between CCS, CCU and CDR?
CCS captures an industrial emission and stores it (avoided emission). CCU reuses captured CO2 in a product, with a benefit depending on the carbon’s final fate. CDR removes CO2 already in the atmosphere (DAC, biochar, natural sinks): this is what neutralisation means in the SBTi framework.