Efficient CO₂ capture in practice: The Scheuch decaSol system captures and recovers up to 5 tonnes of CO₂ from process exhaust gases every day.
CO₂ Storage: New Legal Framework Clears the Way
Industrial partners Scheuch and Kirchdorfer Group welcome the planned lifting of the storage ban. The defined storage limits enable the implementation of initial projects. What matters now is speed in the approval process.
Both companies expressly welcome the planned new legal framework for the geological storage of CO₂. Following the effective ban in place since 2011, this will, for the first time, create the legal basis for implementing Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) in Austria. The key message from these Austrian pioneers is clear: with the proposed limits, the path is open and concrete projects can now move forward.
From the platform’s perspective, the draft legislation sends the right signals. The nationwide storage caps provide more than enough scope for the initial phase and demonstrate that legislators are thinking ahead, from the first facility through to large-scale deployment, rather than imposing a ceiling that would never be raised.
The decisive factor now is implementation. Whether CCS truly gains momentum or becomes stuck in administrative procedures will depend on the permitting process. Easier approval pathways for pilot and demonstration plants could give Austrian companies a genuine head start, provided that the details remain ambitious throughout the consultation process. Additional momentum comes from the classification of CCS projects as being of “overriding public interest.” This gives storage projects greater weight during approval procedures and reduces the risk of years-long delays. This legal certainty is exactly what is needed to encourage investment.
Of particular importance to both companies is the clear focus on so-called hard-to-abate industries. Sectors such as cement and lime production, as well as waste incineration, cannot technically eliminate certain process-related emissions. For these industries, CCS is not optional, but essential. By recognizing this reality, policymakers are making a clear commitment to Austria as an industrial location. Ultimately, this is about safeguarding jobs, preserving regional value creation, and preventing industry from relocating abroad.
“We have the technology, we have the expertise, and now we finally have the legal framework to support it. This gives Austria the opportunity to become a pioneer instead of merely watching from the sidelines. The key now is to ensure that approval procedures for the first facilities are streamlined and efficient,” says Thomas Rainer, Managing Director of Scheuch GmbH.
“For us as a cement manufacturer, CO₂ storage is not a nice-to-have but a matter of survival, because some of our emissions simply cannot be avoided through technical measures. We can work with the framework conditions that have now been defined and move forward with our projects. What matters is that this course remains stable. If it does, we will safeguard jobs and value creation in Austria,” says Joao Paulo Pereira da Silva, CEO of Kirchdorfer Group.