The European Commission’s Green Deal aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, with carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) named as a priority. CCUS begins by removing CO₂ from emissions before release. The gas can then be permanently stored or reused in industry. However, CCUS is not 100 % emission-free. Some products will reemit CO₂ over time and leaks are a factor throughout. Currently, no traceable facilities exist to calibrate CO₂ flow meters for the full range of CCUS conditions and existing techniques for monitoring leaks have not been validated. New methods are required to quantify CO₂ emissions from alternative energy sources (e.g., biogas) to support the goals of the Green Deal, and the reemission from CCUS products over time has also not been characterised, which has led to a lack of understand of the full CO₂ lifecycle.

This project will produce facilities for CO₂ flow monitoring, as well as primary standards for evaluating flow meters. On-line sensors for real-time monitoring will also be developed. The project will validate leak monitors for both pipelines and storage sites and will produce good practice guides for measurement and sampling methods. It will also test the suitability of long- and short-term storage materials. Finally, a method will be developed to characterise reemission from CCUS products. These outcomes will improve measurement accuracy across the CO₂ lifecycle and improve confidence in available monitoring devices. This will encourage faster uptake of CCUS methods which will be crucial in meeting the targets of the Green Deal.