Current trends in energy supply and use are patently unsustainable – economically, environmentally and socially. Without decisive action, energy-related emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) will more than double by 2050 and increased oil demand will heighten concerns over the security of supplies. We can and must change our current path, but this will take an energy revolution and low-carbon energy technologies will have a crucial role to play. Energy efficiency, many types of renewable energy, carbon capture and storage (CCS), nuclear power and new transport technologies will all require widespread deployment if we are to reach our greenhouse gas (GHG) emission goals. Recognising the importance of CCS, the IEA and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) have collaborated to develop a technology roadmap for the application of CCS in industry. This roadmap paves the way for low-carbon industrial growth in developed and developing countries by providing a vision of industrial CCS up to 2050. Its insights will help policy makers evaluate the benefits of CCS technology and hence, make informed decisions. It also offers investors a much-needed assessment of the potential for CCS in industry, an application that has been neglected.
