SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure | SDG 13: Climate Action
Ministry of Science & Technology | Department of Science and Technology (DST)
The Government has launched the first-of-its-kind R&D Roadmap to Enable India’s Net Zero Targets through Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS). Prepared by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the roadmap positions CCUS as a core technological pillar essential for decarbonizing “hard-to-abate sectors” like power, cement, and steel, aligning with the national goal of achieving Net-Zero emissions by 2070.
CCUS is a set of technologies designed to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, particularly from large industrial sources and power plants. It involves capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) before it enters the atmosphere, transporting it, and either reusing it to create value-added products (Utilization) or securely injecting it deep underground into geological formations for permanent storage (Storage).
Key Components and Strategic Focus of the Roadmap:
Dual Technology Focus: Balances advancing current CCUS technologies toward commercial readiness with supporting breakthrough science to drive next-generation solutions.
Implementation Pillars: Highlights the need for supportive frameworks beyond technology, including:
Developing skilled human capital.
Establishing regulatory and safety standards.
Developing early-shared infrastructure.
Funding Mechanism: The DST is prepared to lead implementation by leveraging initiatives like the ₹1 Lakh Crore Research, Development & Innovation (RDI) Scheme to strengthen private-sector-led innovation in industrial decarbonization.
Alignment: The entire strategy is guided by the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, aiming to balance rapid industrial growth with environmental responsibility.
Policy Relevance
The launch of this specific R&D Roadmap is a critical institutional and strategic step, formalizing the government’s investment in industrial decarbonization technologies. By explicitly linking the roadmap to the ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Scheme, the policy aims to drive private-sector innovation and create the necessary supportive ecosystem (skilled labor, regulation) to achieve the Net-Zero 2070 target without unduly stifling growth in core manufacturing sectors.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: What regulatory framework and liability protocols must the government establish now to encourage private investment in permanent geological storage sites for captured CO2?
Follow the full news here: R&D Roadmap to enable India’s Net Zero Targets through Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) launched