Carbon Capture Coalition

Carbon Capture Coalition
Name	Carbon Capture Coalition
Founded	2017
Type	Coalition
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Region served	United States
Focus	Energy policy, climate policy, carbon capture, utilization, and storage

Carbon Capture Coalition is a U.S.-based alliance of industries, environmental organizations, labor unions, state offices, and advocacy groups formed to advance deployment of carbon capture and storage technologies through policy, incentives, and partnerships. The Coalition engages with federal agencies, including the United States Department of Energy, members of the United States Congress, state governments such as the State of Texas and State of Louisiana, and international policymakers to influence legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Its work intersects with energy producers, technology firms, and academic institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, and Stanford University.

History

The Coalition formed in 2017 amid policy debates following the repeal of the Clean Power Plan and during discussions around the Paris Agreement commitments by the United States. Founding participants included trade groups like the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and environmental organizations including Natural Resources Defense Council affiliates, alongside unions such as the United Mine Workers of America and corporations from the ExxonMobil and Chevron sectors. Early activities concentrated on shaping the legislative language of the 45Q tax credit expansion enacted through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 and later the Bipartisan Budget Act negotiations. Over time the Coalition broadened engagement to state-level offices like the Office of the Governor of North Dakota and agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to address permitting, liability, and storage site characterization issues exemplified by projects in the Permian Basin and Gulf Coast.

Mission and Objectives

The Coalition's stated mission is to accelerate commercial-scale deployment of carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration through policy advocacy, technical analysis, and stakeholder convening. Objectives include influencing tax policy such as modifications to Section 45Q of the Internal Revenue Code, supporting appropriations at the United States Department of Energy for research programs like the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, and promoting regulatory frameworks at the Environmental Protection Agency and state public utility commissions including the California Public Utilities Commission. The Coalition also aims to coordinate with international forums including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and national science bodies such as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Membership and Structure

Membership spans corporate actors like BP, Shell plc, TotalEnergies, Archer Daniels Midland Company, and Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.; nonprofits such as Clean Air Task Force, National Wildlife Federation, and World Resources Institute; and labor organizations including International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and United Steelworkers. The Coalition's governance includes a steering committee, working groups focused on policy, technology, and communications, and advisory panels with participants from academic centers like University of Texas at Austin, University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center, and Ohio State University. It collaborates with state-level coalitions like the Carbon Capture Coalition of Louisiana and regional development authorities including the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts office and economic development entities in Wyoming and North Dakota.

Policy Advocacy and Initiatives

Advocacy priorities emphasize tax incentives, grant programs, and regulatory certainty for carbon capture and storage projects. The Coalition supported expansion of 45Q tax credit values, greater funding for the Department of Energy's carbon management programs, and expedited permitting processes at agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It has produced technical reports in cooperation with institutions such as Resources for the Future, Brookings Institution, and Rhodes College (policy fellowships), and submitted comments to rulemakings at the Environmental Protection Agency and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The Coalition has engaged in congressional advocacy with leadership from committees like the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and partnered on bipartisan initiatives involving lawmakers such as members of the House Republican Study Committee and the Senate Climate Action Task Force.

Major Projects and Partnerships

The Coalition has supported demonstration and commercial projects in regions including the Gulf Coast, the Permian Basin, the Midwest, and the Appalachian Basin. Partner projects and associated firms include Nacero, Denbury Resources, Plant Vogtle-adjacent initiatives, and collaborations with infrastructure firms like Kinder Morgan and Enbridge. Academic partnerships involve research centers such as the National Energy Technology Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. International partnerships link to initiatives like the Mission Innovation network and bilateral dialogues with the European Union and countries such as Norway and Canada that operate large-scale storage projects like the Sleipner gas field and the Boundary Dam Power Station.

Funding and Financial Activities

Funding sources include dues from corporate members, grants from foundations such as the Rockefeller Foundation and MacArthur Foundation, and support from industry trade associations like the American Petroleum Institute and National Association of Manufacturers. The Coalition has engaged financial institutions including Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and Bank of America on investment frameworks for carbon capture projects, and has advocated for public financing through mechanisms like the Department of Energy loan programs and state green banks such as the New York Green Bank. It analyzes fiscal impacts of incentives in partnership with fiscal policy groups like the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, Tax Policy Center, and Congressional Budget Office briefings to quantify budgetary effects of credits including Section 45Q and grants under legislation like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Category:Environmental organizations based in the United States