Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute opens first Middle East HQ in Masdar City

The Global Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Institute has opened its first Middle East headquarters in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi.

The institute, an international think tank, has a mission to scale-up carbon capture and storage technology to support climate neutrality. It aims to collaborate with industry and public sector partners to build CCS ambitions in the region.

Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change and chairman of Masdar, said, “As the first country in the region to deploy CCUS on an industrial scale, the UAE has a proven track record of success as a leader in carbon capture. The addition of the Global CCS Institute will only help promote CCS further.”

He added: “The institute’s mission to accelerate the adoption of carbon capture technologies perfectly aligns with Masdar’s role as an incubator and catalyst for innovative clean technologies. I am confident that the Global CCS Institute will thrive in this environment and continue to make a valuable contribution to global decarbonisation efforts, particularly as the UAE prepares to host COP 28 in 2023.”

Carbon capture and storage is an innovative technology that mitigates climate change impacts by capturing CO2 – typically from a point source at an industrial facility – and storing it beneath the Earth’s surface before it can impact the atmosphere. There are currently three CCS facilities in the GCC region, which account for 10 per cent of the world’s CO2 captured by the technology every year.

The institute’s global CEO, Jarad Daniel said, “The region is well positioned to become a leader, both in the CCS market and the energy transition more broadly. With the Institute’s new regional office in Abu Dhabi, we aim to be there every step of the way.”

The institute joins other key companies and institutes in Masdar City, including the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and Siemens Energy, Mohammed Bin Zayed University for Artificial Intelligence, Emirates Nuclear Energy Company, and Catalyst, the region’s first sustainability-focused startup accelerator.