Carbon capture and storage

We have legal powers to regulate the transportation and storage networks of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the UK. The transport and storage networks will be part of the infrastructure needed for carbon capture and storage.

The rules that must be followed for carbon dioxide transport and storage networks are set out in the Energy Act 2023. The Act also includes our legal powers and how we can use these to enforce and change licences for carbon dioxide transport and storage. 

Our main legal duties are to:

• protect the interests of current and future carbon dioxide transport and storage network users, for example large industrial plants who want to decarbonise their operations by capturing and storing their carbon dioxide emissions
• protect the interests of consumers who may be affected by our carbon dioxide transport and storage regulatory activity
• promote the efficient and economic development and operation of transport and storage networks taking into account how those with a licence finance their activities

We will start our regulatory work after the UK government grants the first carbon dioxide transport and storage licence to a company. We expect this to be in 2024.