The United States will need to rapidly deploy carbon management in the near-term to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the power sector by 2035 and economy-wide by 2050. Concurrently, President Biden has directed agencies to implement carbon management policies responsibly so that they deliver clear benefits to communities and workers and provide robust environmental protections. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is focusing on implementing near-term programmatic activities that lay the groundwork for scaling carbon management in the future in alignment with these overarching policy goals.
DOE’s Carbon Management Strategy provides a comprehensive roadmap for the remainder of the decade that outlines the diverse tools and approaches DOE will use to develop and deploy carbon management solutions in line with President Biden’s climate, economic, and social priorities. Carbon management—an umbrella term that encompasses the suite of technologies used for capturing, transporting, converting, and storing carbon dioxide (CO2), as well as removing it directly from the atmosphere—is a critical component of the DOE’s climate change mitigation strategy.
The Strategy is focused on near-term actions that can position carbon management to scale as needed in subsequent decades. DOE’s near-term strategy through 2030 incorporates the following five components:
- Focusing research, development, demonstration, and deployment funding on priority use cases;
- Building out CO2 transportation and storage infrastructure where it likely will be needed most in the future;
- Supporting the implementation of effective and evidence-driven policies and regulations related to carbon management at other federal agencies;
- Engaging communities and workers to ensure projects deliver benefits and mitigate potential risks to public health and the environment; and
- Supporting climate diplomacy efforts to accelerate the adoption of carbon management at scale globally in a way that aligns with the Paris Agreement.
This Strategy is intended to inform a wide range of stakeholders about DOE’s carbon management programmatic priorities in the coming years. Its purpose is to provide a comprehensive summary of the tools the Department will use to support the scale up of carbon management solutions and provide clarity regarding DOE’s priorities. Further, this strategy is designed to assist stakeholders involved in carbon management better understand how to engage with DOE based on their needs for support in the coming years.
On October 10, 2024, DOE posted this report for the first time as a draft for public comment. Comments can be submitted to [email protected]. The deadline for submissions has been extended to December 31, 2024. We seek feedback on the entire report, as DOE continues to refine our vision for responsibly scaling carbon management into the future.
Note: All comments received are considered a Federal record and will be stored and potentially accessed in the future as part of our official documentation. Personal identifying information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily may be subject to public release under the Freedom of Information Act.
Last Updated: December 9, 2024