ZEP Technology Platform – latest news

i. Regulations:

Important work is going on to put in place a regulation for CCS. The Commissions general directorate (DG) for environment has put in place an extensive work on this issue. Before the start of the year (2007) the Commission will forward a white paper (Communication from the Commission to the Council of Ministers and the Parliament). Here concrete proposals to modification of existing EU-regulations such as the Water Directive, the Waste Directive (many others) possibly IPPC, Environmental Impact Assessment, the Liability Directive, etc. will be forwarded. A CCS-Directive is also on the stages. In addition own guidelines for identification, verification and monitoring of CO2 storage will be presented. After publication of the White book, with the proposals to jurisdiction, it will become an issue for discussion, negotiation and resolution in the EUs decision making bodies: the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament. It is expected that resolutions to this regulation will be completed in 2010. The ZEP-platform is generally very satisfied with the DG Environmental works regarding the regulation.

ii. Selection and financing of the Flagship-programme:

Equally important is the selection and financing of the 10-12 demonstration projects or The European Flagship Programme – which it is also called. DG Transport and Energy (DG Tren) will publish its own white book about this before the end of this year. The White book will describe how all aspects with the demonstration projects such as fuel types, capture technology, storage alternatives, transport and logistic will be assessed and included.

The ZEP-Task forces for demonstration and implementation, and policy and regulation, are both involved in this work. It is undertaking a close consultation process with the Commission about these questions, both in the form of formal meeting between ZEP-platform and the Commissions own ”Inter-services-group on CCS” and via informal running contact with the Commissions employee.

iii. State aid issues:

DG Competition has recently outlined proposal to guidelines for state support to environmental projects for the period 2008 to 2013 on their homepage. The Commission will hold two discussion rounds with member states (and Norway) – on the 2^nd of July and the beginning of September. After this the guidelines will be resolved of the Commissions college – before the end of this year so that they can be in force by 1.1.2008. The input from ZEP emphasizes that governments/states must open the possibilities for investing for up to 100% of the costs associated with the capture technology and capture plants. At the same time it is important to open for public investing in infrastructure for transport and storage of CO2. It is however unclear whether this will be accepted by the Commission.

iv. Research:

ZEP has delivered its input to the Commission’s (DG Research) draft to work programme for 2008, the 7^th Framework (7FP) for energy. The first call on the energy sector that ends on the 28th June and based on the incoming projects, the Commissions programme-committee will assess in concrete the content of the research areas for 2008. The ZEP input on this area can be found also on the ZEPs homepage.

v. Public communication:

Last but not least it is fully essential to put in track a strategy for external communication for CCS. The leaders for this task force put forward proposals to strategy and submitted it at the last AC-meeting in Berlin on June 12. This proposal will continue to be argued over the summer. It is suggested to employ a person who will be responsible for the daily co-ordination and administration of communication activities. Besides, an extensive web-site will be prepared and also seminars and conferences will be held in the most relevant member states. A CCS film is also proposed for distribution to the public.

vi. ZEP General Assembly:

This year’s general meeting will be arranged in Paris 3^rd October and is put the day before the French Petroleum Institutes large European Conference about CCS. The general meeting is open and free. Invitation will be sent out soon and will also be announced on the ZEPs homepage.

vii The Member State Group:

Right from the beginning of the ZEP work a ”mirror-group” was established with representatives from the EUs member states. This group is led by Brian Morris from UK. This group is now getting a clearer focus and high status and is now called: The Member States Group. This group will be of great significance when we reach into the selection process of the demonstration projects and when the new regulation is handled in the EUs Council of Ministers.