Why in the News?
The R&D Roadmap to Enable India’s Net Zero Targets through Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage CCUS was launched on 2 December 2025 by the Department of Science and Technology and unveiled by the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.
Context
- India has committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2070.
- Hard to abate sectors such as Power, Cement and Steel require technological solutions beyond renewables.
- CCUS is identified as a critical pillar for deep decarbonisation.
What is CCUS?
Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage is a technology that:
- Captures carbon dioxide emissions from industrial sources.
- Utilizes captured CO₂ for industrial purposes such as chemicals or fuels.
- Stores CO₂ underground in geological formations to prevent atmospheric release.
Key Features of the Roadmap
- Strategic guidance on thematic R&D priorities.
- Focus on moving technologies from lab scale to commercial readiness.
- Support for breakthrough next generation carbon management technologies.
- Emphasis on regulatory standards, safety norms and skilled manpower.
- Promotion of early shared infrastructure and public private partnerships.
Institutional Framework
- Prepared by DST based on nearly seven years of CCUS research support.
- Guided by a High Level Task Force.
- Establishment of three National Centres of Excellence in CCUS.
- Linked with ₹1 lakh crore Research Development and Innovation Scheme to promote private sector led industrial decarbonisation.
Focus Sectors
- Thermal power plants, Cement industry, Steel sector and Energy intensive manufacturing.
- These sectors contribute significantly to India’s greenhouse gas emissions.
| [2023] Consider the following activities:
1. Spreading finely ground basalt rock on farmlands extensively. 2. Increasing the alkalinity of oceans by adding lime. 3. Capturing carbon dioxide released by various industries and pumping it into abandoned subterranean mines in the form of carbonated waters. How many of the above activities are often considered and discussed for carbon capture and sequestration? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None |
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