What are carbon capture and utilisation technologies?
Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) Technologies
UPSC Prelims + Mains Study Note
1. At a Glance
- Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) refers to technologies that capture CO₂ from industrial point sources or directly from the atmosphere and convert it into useful products — fuels, chemicals, building materials, polymers — rather than storing it underground. [S1][S3]
- Distinct from Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS): CCS sequesters CO₂ permanently underground; CCU recirculates captured carbon into the economy. [S5]
- Relevant to GS-III (Environment, Science & Technology) and India's stated net-zero target of 2070. [S5]
- Critical for hard-to-abate sectors (cement, steel, chemicals, power) that cannot be fully decarbonised through renewable energy alone. [S5][S3]
2. Why in the News
- December 2, 2025: DST launched India's first R&D Roadmap for CCUS to enable net-zero targets; released by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India. [S1][S2]
- The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas separately released a draft 2030 roadmap for CCUS, identifying specific projects for deployment. [S5]
- India launched its first cluster of CCU testbeds in academia-industry collaboration focused on the cement sector under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. [S4]
- The article in The Hindu (26 February 2026, International Edition, Page 10) explicitly addressed CCU, the EU Bioeconomy Strategy, and India's scale-up potential. [S5]
3. Background & Evolution
- Origin: CCU emerged as a concept alongside CCS in the early 2000s; gained distinct identity as circular economy frameworks prioritised resource recovery over disposal.
- UNFCCC recognition: CCUS classified as an emissions reduction technology applicable across the energy system; highlighted in UNFCCC Technology Mechanism discussions. [S3]
- IEA framing (Net Zero by 2050 report): CCUS identified as one of four critical pillars of net-zero transition alongside electrification, hydrogen, and bioenergy. [S6]
- India's trajectory:
- 2022: DST announced two National Centres of Excellence (NCoE-CCU) — at IIT Bombay and JNCASR, Bengaluru — as India's first dedicated CCU research infrastructure. [S2][S7]
- 2024–25: DST approved five CCU testbeds for cement industry under PPP mode. [S4]
- December 2025: Full national R&D Roadmap launched. [S1]
4. Core Static Facts
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Form | Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU); broader term: CCUS (adds Storage) |
| Key distinction | CCU → CO₂ reused; CCS → CO₂ stored underground permanently |
| Primary nodal ministry (India) | Department of Science & Technology (DST), Ministry of Science & Technology |
| Secondary ministry | Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (CCUS 2030 roadmap) |
| National R&D Roadmap launched | December 2, 2025 |
| Launched by | Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to GoI |
| NCoE-CCU (Institution 1) | IIT Bombay — industry-oriented CCU innovation, milestones & S&T leadership |
| NCoE-CCU (Institution 2) | JNCASR, Bengaluru — carbon capture & conversion; scale-up to pilot stage for hydrocarbons, olefins, fuels |
| Sector focus of testbeds | Cement (first cluster); Power and Steel also identified |
| Testbed model | Public Private Partnership (PPP) — premier labs + top cement companies |
| Number of testbeds approved | 5 (first cluster, cement sector) |
| India's net-zero target | 2070 |
| India's GHG rank | 3rd largest emitter of CO₂ globally |
| Key CO₂ end-uses (global) | Fertilisers, enhanced oil recovery (EOR), food & beverages, cooling, water treatment, fuels, polymers, building materials |
| Direct Air Capture (DAC) | Sub-technology: captures CO₂ directly from atmosphere (not from point source) |
| UNFCCC classification | Emissions reduction technology under Technology Mechanism |
5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis
Environmental
- CCU offers carbon circularity — captured CO₂ re-enters the economy rather than adding to atmospheric stock, supporting a low-carbon circular economy. [S3]
- Hard-to-abate sectors (cement, steel) account for a disproportionate share of industrial emissions globally; CCU is among very few viable decarbonisation pathways for these. [S5][S3]
- When coupled with bioenergy (BECCS) or DAC, CCU can deliver carbon-negative outcomes, enabling "negative emissions." [S3]
- Risk: if the CO₂ embedded in products is eventually re-released (e.g., fuel combustion), net climate benefit depends on lifecycle accounting. [S3]
Economic
- CCU converts a waste stream (CO₂) into feedstock, creating new value chains: synthetic fuels, urea, methanol, concrete aggregates, polymers. [S5]
- The cement industry testbed programme directly links CCU to India's massive infrastructure-driven cement demand — one of the world's largest cement markets. [S4]
- IEA notes CCUS receives only ~1/3 of public R&D funding compared to established low-carbon technologies, indicating significant investment gap. [S6]
- Commercialisation of CCU could reduce India's dependence on fossil-fuel-derived chemical feedstocks. [S5]
Scientific / Technological
- Capture technologies: Post-combustion (amine scrubbing), pre-combustion, oxy-fuel combustion, and DAC. [S3][S6]
- Utilisation pathways: Mineralisation (building materials), electrochemical reduction (fuels/chemicals), biological conversion (algae, fermentation), catalytic hydrogenation. [S3]
- IIT Bombay NCoE: Focused on industry-ready S&T milestones. JNCASR NCoE: Material development, scaled-up pilot processes for hydrocarbons and olefins. [S2][S7]
- India's newly developed cost-effective carbon capture technology (DST-supported) represents a significant advancement toward net-zero targets. [S8]
Geopolitical / Strategic
- The EU Bioeconomy Strategy and Circular Economy Action Plan explicitly promotes CCU as part of Europe's industrial transformation — creating trade and technology partnership opportunities for India. [S5]
- Countries deploying CCU at scale may gain first-mover advantage in carbon-neutral product markets; Indian exports (cement, steel) increasingly face EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) pressure.
- CCU aligns with India's NDC commitments under the Paris Agreement and supports the LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) mission's industrial dimension.
Administrative
- Coordination challenge: CCU sits across DST (R&D), Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (deployment roadmap), and MoEFCC (regulatory/environmental clearance).
- PPP testbed model (premier research labs + industry) is the chosen vehicle; scaling beyond pilot to commercial requires clearer regulatory and carbon pricing frameworks.
- No standalone CCU legislation exists in India yet; regulatory framework relies on existing environment and petroleum laws.
6. Recent Developments (Last 12–18 Months)
- December 2, 2025: DST launched India's first national R&D Roadmap for CCUS for net-zero targets; released by the Principal Scientific Adviser. [S1][S2]
- 2024–25: DST approved 5 CCU testbeds for the cement sector in PPP mode — India's first cluster of CCU testbeds in academia-industry collaboration. [S4]
- 2025–26: DST-supported researchers developed a resilient, cost-effective carbon capture technology described as a "significant advancement" toward India's net-zero targets. [S8]
- Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas released a draft 2030 CCUS roadmap identifying specific projects eligible for carbon utilisation and storage. [S5]
- February 26, 2026: The Hindu (International Edition) featured CCU in context of India's scale-up needs and the EU Bioeconomy/Circular Economy linkages. [S5]
7. Prelims Hooks
- CCU stands for Carbon Capture and Utilisation; the broader term CCUS adds underground Storage. [S3]
- In CCU, captured CO₂ is converted into useful products (fuels, chemicals, building materials); in CCS, CO₂ is permanently stored underground. [S5]
- India's national R&D Roadmap for CCUS was launched on December 2, 2025 by DST. [S1]
- The CCUS roadmap was released by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India. [S1]
- India has two National Centres of Excellence for CCU: one at IIT Bombay and one at JNCASR, Bengaluru; both supported by DST. [S2][S7]
- India's first cluster of CCU testbeds targets the cement industry (not power or steel) in the first phase. [S4]
- Five CCU testbeds were approved in the first cluster under a PPP (Public Private Partnership) model. [S4]
- India is the 3rd largest emitter of CO₂ globally; primary drivers: power generation, cement, steel, chemicals. [S5]
- India's net-zero target year is 2070 (not 2050 like the EU or USA). [S5]
- Direct Air Capture (DAC) is a CCU sub-technology that captures CO₂ directly from the atmosphere, not from industrial point sources. [S3]
- CCUS receives only ~1/3 of the public R&D funding that established low-carbon technologies (solar, wind, efficiency) receive globally, per IEA. [S6]
- The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (not DST alone) also has a separate draft 2030 CCUS roadmap. [S5]
- JNCASR, Bengaluru NCoE focuses on scaling up processes to pilot stage to produce hydrocarbons, olefins, and value-added chemicals. [S7]
- The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) creates external pressure on Indian hard-to-abate sectors to adopt CCU/CCUS technologies.
8. Mains Relevance
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| GS Paper | GS-III (Science & Technology; Environment & Ecology; Economy) |
| Syllabus headings | Science & Technology — developments and their applications and effects in everyday life; awareness in the field of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-technology, Bio-technology and issues relating to Intellectual Property Rights; Environmental pollution and degradation; Conservation |
Plausible Mains Question Stems:
-
"Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) is seen as a transformative technology for India's hard-to-abate industrial sectors. Examine its potential, current status in India, and the challenges to its commercialisation." (250 words, GS-III)
-
"Critically analyse how Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) technologies can contribute to India achieving its net-zero target of 2070, with reference to sector-specific applications and regulatory gaps." (250 words, GS-III)
-
"The distinction between Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) has significant implications for industrial policy and climate strategy. Discuss." (150 words, GS-III)
9. Related Topics to Study Next
| Topic | Connection |
|---|---|
| India's NDCs and Net-Zero 2070 Target | CCU is a key instrument for achieving India's long-term climate commitments |
| EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) | Directly pressures Indian cement/steel exporters to adopt low-carbon technologies including CCU |
| Hard-to-Abate Sectors (Cement, Steel, Chemicals) | Primary deployment zones for CCU; understanding these sectors explains why CCU is irreplaceable |
| Green Hydrogen | Complementary decarbonisation technology; also produced using captured CO₂ in some pathways |
| Circular Economy and LiFE Mission | CCU is a practical embodiment of circular economy principles at industrial scale |
| Paris Agreement & UNFCCC Technology Mechanism | International framework under which CCU is recognised and financed |
| National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC) | India's S&T mission most directly aligned with CCU R&D funding |
| Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) | Related negative-emissions technology; often conflated with CCU in examinations |
10. Common Errors / Trap Areas
- CCU ≠ CCS: Aspirants frequently conflate the two. Remember: CCU = reuse; CCS = store underground. The article explicitly distinguishes them. [S5]
- Nodal ministry trap: CCU R&D is under DST; but the 2030 deployment roadmap is under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas. Examiners can test either.
- NCoE locations: IIT Bombay and JNCASR Bengaluru — not IIT Delhi or IISc. JNCASR is a standalone national institute (under DST), not part of IISc Bengaluru.
- India's net-zero year is 2070, not 2050 (EU/UK) or 2060 (China). A common substitution error in MCQs.
- First testbed sector was Cement (not Power or Steel) — the cement industry was specifically chosen for the first PPP cluster; power and steel are identified but not the first phase.
11. Sources
- [S1] R&D Roadmap to enable India's Net Zero Targets through Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) launched — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2198607 — (Tier 1: pib.gov.in)
- [S2] R&D Roadmap for CCUS launched — DST — https://dst.gov.in/R&D-Roadmap-to-enable-India's-Net-Zero-Targets-through-Carbon-Capture-Utilization-and-Storage-(CCUS)-launched — (Tier 1: dst.gov.in)
- [S3] Carbon capture, utilisation and storage | UNFCCC — https://unfccc.int/technology/carbon-capture-utilisation-and-storage — (Tier 2: unfccc.int)
- [S4] India launches first cluster of CCU testbeds in academia-industry collaboration for cement industry — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2128620 — (Tier 1: pib.gov.in)
- [S5] What are carbon capture and utilisation technologies? — The Hindu, 26 February 2026, Page 10, International Edition — https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/2026-02-26/th_international/articleGGCFL07NN-13661861.ece — (Tier 4: thehindu.com; article excerpt supplied by user)
- [S6] Net Zero by 2050 — IEA — https://www.iea.org/reports/net-zero-by-2050 — (Reference; IEA)
- [S7] India to have two National Centres of Excellence in Carbon Capture & Utilization at IIT Bombay & JNCASR, Bengaluru — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1797178 — (Tier 1: pib.gov.in)
- [S8] Newly developed, resilient, cost-effective carbon capture technology — DST — https://dst.gov.in/newly-developed-resilient-cost-effective-carbon-capture-technology-represents-significant — (Tier 1: dst.gov.in)
