Disruptive technologies: hydrogen and CCUS
There are two distinguishable fields of application: technologies as a means of avoiding CO2 emissions coming from industrial processes themselves; and technologies as a means of capturing the CO2 produced by industry.
The emissions avoidance strategy is currently embodied by one technology in particular:low carbon" hydrogen**, also called "green" hydrogen. This gas, produced from electricity and water, is presented as an alternative to fossil fuels. The principal argument: its production and use emit little CO2.
The CO2 removal strategy is known under the acronym "CCUS" for Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage. What's the idea? So carbon emitted by industry does not escape and warm up the atmosphere, it is captured thanks to cutting-edge technologies and then stored in the ground by injecting it into underground cavities. In essence, it is locked in underground. Three CO2 removal techniques are currently under study (pre-combustion, oxy-combustion and post-combustion).
This disruptive technology has, however, failed to win unanimous support. Firstly, because, today, it is only a backup solution: it does not help to massively reduce CO2 emissions. Secondly, because it is expensive and, sometimes, highly energy-intensive. And, lastly, because it risks being an excuse or an incentive not to tackle the root of the problem: the CO2 you must first avoid producing.
**Note: green hydrogen is obviously low-carbon, but the opposite is not true. For example, hydrogen from nuclear-powered electricity will be more low carbon than hydrogen from renewables, such as solar and wind power, but cannot be considered as green hydrogen. In this case, it is referred to as yellow hydrogen.