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The carbon dioxide removal (CDR) aims to reduce the level of CO2 in the atmosphere by achieving negative emissions and compensating for residual emissions that cannot be reduced. CDR corresponds to the third pillar of climate action (reduce, adapt, eliminate) and is based on a wide range of methods, both natural and technological.
This study, the first of its kind in France, aims to estimate the deployment potential of CDR solutions in France by 2030 and 2050. It was carried out on behalf of the NGO Carbon Gap, which promotes the development of CDR capacities in Europe with the goal of accelerating the ecological transition.
E-CUBE provided Carbon Gap with its expertise on the French energy transition context and provided methodological and analytical support for the analyses.
Using a bottom-up approach, the resources (including electricity, heat, biomass & land) required to deploy the different methods were comprehensively analyzed to establish available quantities that could be targeted towards CDR. An analysis of the techno-economic conditions and regulatory and social constraints was then conducted to estimate 3 constrated deployment potential scenario: ambitious, reference, and conservative.
Several insights emerged from this study:
Diversification of carbon sinks: the report emphasizes the importance for France to diversify its natural and technological carbon sinks to strengthen its CDR capacities and be more resilient towards achieving the carbon neutrality goal by 2050
Carbon neutrality goal by 2050: the study demonstrates that France has the potential to achieve carbon neutrality, or even become net negative in terms of carbon emissions, provided it respects its decarbonization trajectory (proposed by the National Low Carbon Strategy, SNBC) and fully mobilizes its CDR potential. Carbon neutrality could even be achieved by respecting the like-for-like concept
Main barriers to deploying CDR methods, in terms of resources only, are the availability of decarbonized energy (electricity and heat) and geological storage capacities that will allow for the sustainable storage of CO2.
The report is complemented by a first-draft roadmap, developed as part of a joint reflection work with around fifteen sector actors, which proposes concrete actions to be taken to initiate and encourage the effective, responsible, and concerted deployment of CDR measures. This roadmap also emphasizes the importance of acting now to anticipate upcoming challenges.
If you would like to learn more about the results of this study or the methodology used, please:
Consult the complete report and roadmap on Carbon Gap website
Contact our teams directly.
