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Global perspectives of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies in emerging countries

CCS is often viewed to be a bridging technology into a future in which renewable energy sources prevail and energy is used as efficiently as possible. Before this future can be reached, emissions from coal-fired power plants and other fossil fuel sources have to be reduced to the greatest extent possible. For the time being, however, use of coal is on the rise. Such development is mainly driven by emerging economies that face a rapidly growing demand for energy. This study therefore focuses on three emerging countries that all hold vast coal reserves marked to be fired for energy production: China, India and South Africa (CISA). These key countries were selected as meaningful examples to explore whether CCS could present a viable, significant CO2 reduction option in regions other than industrialised countries.