Isra-Mart srl : Germany moves to revive CCS legislation

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Isra-Mart srl news:

In a potential indication of how it expects energy policy to evolve in the wake of its controversial decision to bring forward the date for retiring its nuclear power plants, the German government today revived legislation designed to support the development of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects.

The Environment Ministry said in a statement that the government has agreed a draft bill that would provide the regulatory framework necessary for German CCS demonstration projects to attract EU funding.
It added that a number of northern states that have expressed concerns over the safety of CCS projects and the likelihood of carbon leaking from geological formations would be given the final say on whether projects proposed for their regions get the go-ahead.

However, the bill signals growing support for CCS within Germany, after chancellor Angela Merkel controversially announced last month that the government would, in the wake of the Fukushima crisis, rescind an agreement with nuclear operators that would have extended the life of reactors.

The government is now exploring a number of alternative policies designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while phasing out nuclear power, including plans for a significant increase in renewable energy capacity.

The government said it hoped the CCS bill would pass by the autumn, giving German demonstration projects a shot at a multi-billion euro fund that will provide financial support to 12 projects across the bloc.