How It Works

Quick Facts

Market Position

Leading durable carbon removal method by volume sold in 2024. Top 2 largest suppliers are BECCS projects (CDR.fyi)

Carbon Removal Potential

0.5 to 5 gigatonnes of CO2 per year globally by 2050 (Fuss et al., 2018)

Applicable Industries

Power and heat generation
Industrial fermentation (e.g. ethanol production)
Waste-to-energy and pulp and paper processing

Current Deployment

2 Megatonnes of CO2 removal per year (IEA)

The Science

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) is a carbon removal technology that captures CO₂ from biomass-based energy systems and stores it permanently. It builds on well-established processes—photosynthesis, combustion or fermentation, carbon capture technology, and geological storage—to create a closed-loop system that removes carbon from the atmosphere.

From Biomass to Carbon Removal

The carbon capture process begins with photosynthesis: plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere as they grow. This carbon is stored in plant material such as leaves, stems, roots, and trunks—referred to as biomass.
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In a typical biomass-to-energy-conversion process, the biomass would be burned to generate electricity, heat, or fuel—releasing the CO₂ back into the atmosphere. BECCS interrupts this cycle. Instead of letting the biogenic CO₂ be re-emitted, the system uses Carbon Capture technology to trap it at the point of release.
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This captured CO₂ is then compressed and either stored permanently in geological formations such as depleted oil and gas reservoirs or deep saline aquifers, or used in durable products, such as concrete, where it is physically bound and stabilized.
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The result is net-negative emissions—more CO₂ is removed from the atmosphere than is released.

A Scalable System Built on Existing Infrastructure

BECCS is not a single system but a set of technologies that can be applied across various existing industrial and energy processes that rely on biomass. Current applications include:

Bioenergy production: Biomass is combusted to produce steam for power generation. CO₂ emissions from the combustion process are captured and stored.
Bioethanol production: During fermentation, large volumes of pure biogenic CO₂ are released, which can be captured efficiently with relatively low cost and energy input.
Anaerobic digestion and waste-to-energy: BECCS can be integrated into systems that treat organic waste or generate energy from biomass residues.
Pulp and paper or cement production: In industries already using biomass as fuel, BECCS can capture emissions from combustion processes.

These applications offer a pragmatic path to durable carbon removal by relying on existing infrastructure.

Carbon Storage: Geological Sequestration

Captured CO₂ is compressed into a dense fluid and transported—typically by pipeline—to suitable storage sites. These are deep geological formations, often more than 800 meters underground, where the CO₂ is injected into porous rock layers capped by impermeable rock, preventing its escape. Over time, the CO₂ becomes mineralized or trapped in rock pores, enabling durable storage.