Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 24
The Impact of Electricity Market
and Environmental Regulation
on Carbon Capture & Storage
(CCS) Development in China
Zhao Ang
Freelance Researcher, Belgium
ABSTRACT
Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) has been regarded as a significant mitigation strategy to tackle global
warming although the uncertainties of carbon price and CCS technology exist. Given that China is the
biggest coal consumer and around four fifths of its electricity comes from coal power plants, many think
CCS has to plays a central role in cutting the carbon emission of China's coal power fleet. Most existing
researches on CCS development in China emphasize the importance of sufficient funding, technological
access, and market readiness, but put little light on the role of environmental regulation and electricity
market establishment. This chapter examines the impact of Chinese electricity market establishment and
environmental regulatory institution on CCS. This chapter argues that Chinese government should protect
Intellectual Property Right (IPR), liberalize electricity market, and enforce environmental regulation in
order to harvest CCS benefits successfully.
INTRODUCTION
to a storage location and long-term isolation
from the atmosphere”(IPCC, 2005, p.3). The
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) regards CCS as an important transitional
technology to stabilize carbon concentration in
the atmosphere(IPCC, 2005).
CCS can be applied in various energy and
heavy industries, including coal, oil, natural gas,
CCS in Process
“Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a pro-
cess consisting of the separation of CO2 from
industrial and energy-related sources, transport
