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Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) captures carbon dioxide from industrial sources and uses or stores it, and PIB's backgrounder of 27 October 2026 presents it as a route to India's 2070 net-zero target in hard-to-abate sectors.
Why is this in the news?
- PIB published a backgrounder on CCUS on 27 October 2026, describing it as a way to cut emissions in sectors that are hard to decarbonise.
- It links CCUS to India's goal of net zero by 2070 and to industrial competitiveness and resource efficiency.
- The second ESTIC-2026 science conference, held from 27 to 29 October 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, also lists CCUS among emerging energy technologies.
Key facts at a glance
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| What | Capture, use and storage of carbon dioxide |
| Net-zero goal | 2070 |
| Key sectors | Steel, cement, oil and gas, petrochemicals, chemicals, fertiliser |
| Three steps | Capture at source; transport; use or storage |
| Transport | Mainly pipelines; ships for long distances |
| Uses | Enhanced oil recovery, food and beverages, urea, green methanol, concrete |
| Storage sites | Depleted oil and gas reservoirs, deep saline aquifers, basalt formations |
| Policy input | NITI Aayog view; DST CCUS Roadmap 2025 |
| Cluster regions | Gujarat coast; Odisha-Jharkhand belt; North East India |
How does CCUS work?
The process starts at an industrial plant, where capture systems separate carbon dioxide from gases released during fuel burning or industrial processes. The gas is then purified, dried and compressed into a dense form before transport by pipeline or, for long distances, by ship.
Finally the gas is either used productively or injected deep underground for permanent storage. India's framework envisages regional clusters and hubs with shared infrastructure, which NITI Aayog considers suitable because it can create economies of scale, reduce infrastructure risk and match carbon dioxide supply with demand.
CCUS therefore complements renewable energy expansion and opens new paths in industry, hydrogen and carbon dioxide removal, while allowing essential goods to keep being produced.
How does it link to the static syllabus?
- CCUS ties to the Paris-aligned climate targets and India's net-zero by 2070 commitment in environment and ecology.
- It complements renewable energy because some industrial processes cannot be electrified.
- It connects to green hydrogen, urea production and the decarbonisation of steel and cement.
What is the Uttar Pradesh angle?
The backgrounder does not name Uttar Pradesh as a CCUS cluster region. The listed clusters are the Gujarat coast, the Odisha-Jharkhand belt and North East India. The UP link is therefore indirect: Uttar Pradesh has fertiliser, cement and power industries of the kind CCUS targets, and it remains a GS-VI environment topic. Do not claim a specific UP CCUS project.
Which pairs are easily confused?
- CCUS is not CCS alone: the U for utilisation means captured gas is also used in products.
- CCUS is not a substitute for renewables: it complements them.
- India's net-zero year is 2070, not 2050.
Key Terms
- CCUS
- Capture of carbon dioxide at source, followed by use or permanent storage.
- Hard-to-abate sectors
- Steel, cement, refineries and chemicals, fertiliser.
- Enhanced oil recovery
- Using carbon dioxide to push out more oil, a use of captured gas.
- Geological storage
- Injecting carbon dioxide deep underground for permanent storage.
- Hub and cluster model
- Shared pipelines and storage serving many emitters.
- Net zero
- Balance between emissions released and removed.
UPPSC syllabus: GS-III, GS-VI
FAQs
What is CCUS?
Capture of carbon dioxide from industrial sources, then use or permanent underground storage.
Which sectors need it most?
Hard-to-abate sectors such as steel, cement, refineries, chemicals and fertiliser.
Sources: PIB Backgrounder: Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage
Last verified: 2026-10-28
