12. Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU): A Catalyst for India’s Net-Zero Transition

Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) represents a transformative suite of technologies designed to intercept carbon dioxide ($CO_{2}$) from industrial exhausts or the atmosphere and repurpose it into commercially viable products. Unlike traditional sequestration, which treats carbon as waste to be buried, CCU integrates carbon into the circular economy, offering a pragmatic solution for India’s \'hard-to-abate\' industrial sectors. Strategic Significance and Implementation of CCU in India • Decarbonising Hard-to-Abate Sectors: While renewables address the power sector, industries like steel, cement, and chemicals are inherently carbon-intensive. CCU provides a vital pathway to mitigate emissions where electrification is technically challenging. • Circular Economy Integration: CCU converts CO_{2}into high-value raw materials for synthetic fuels, polymers, and building materials (like lightweight concrete), effectively turning a pollutant into a resource. • National Policy Roadmap: The Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas have established R&D roadmaps to align CCU with India’s 2070 Net-Zero target. • Emerging Pilot Projects: Significant private-sector participation is visible, with Ambuja Cements and IIT Bombay developing CO_{2}-to-fuel technologies, and Organic Recycling Systems (ORSL) pioneering Bio-CCU to produce bio-alcohols. • Global Benchmarking: India is following international leads, such as the EU’s Bioeconomy Strategy and the U.S. tax credit model, to integrate carbon capture with green hydrogen and chemical manufacturing. • Economic and Structural Risks: The transition faces hurdles in cost-competitiveness against fossilbased alternatives, high energy intensity of conversion, and a lack of specialized infrastructure for CO_{2} transport and storage. Key Definitions • Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU): The process of capturing $CO_{2}$ and recycling it for further use in manufacturing processes, rather than just storing it. • Hard-to-Abate Sectors: Industries such as heavy manufacturing and long-haul transport where reducing carbon emissions is exceptionally difficult or expensive with current technology. • Bio-CCU: A biological approach to carbon utilization where micro-organisms or biological catalysts convert $CO_{2}into specialty chemicals or fuels. Constitutional and Legal Provisions

Key Challenges to Scaling CCU in India 1. Cost Disparity: CCU-derived products currently have a higher \'green premium\' compared to conventional products, necessitating government subsidies or carbon pricing. 2. Energy Penalty: The energy required to capture and convert $CO_{2}$ can sometimes offset the environmental gains if the energy source is not renewable. 3. Infrastructure Gaps: India requires \'Carbon Clusters\' where capture sites (factories) are closely linked to utilization sites (chemical plants) to minimize transport costs. Conclusion CCU is not merely an environmental tool but a strategic industrial necessity for India. By bridging the gap between current carbon-heavy manufacturing and a future low-carbon economy, CCU allows India to maintain its industrial growth while adhering to global climate commitments. The successful scaling of this technology will depend on bridging the \'innovation-to-market\' gap through robust policy signals, specialized infrastructure, and standardized carbon certification. UPSC Relevance • GS Paper III (Environment): Conservation, environmental pollution, and degradation; climate change mitigation strategies. • GS Paper III (Science & Technology): Indigenization of technology and developing new technology; Renewable energy. • GS Paper II (Governance): Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors. • Prelims: Definitions of CCUS, Net-Zero targets, and institutional roles (DST, NITI Aayog). •