CCUS in Asia: New Focus and Persistent Challenges

Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) is increasingly transitioning from a power-sector mitigation option to a core technology for industrial decarbonization. In Asia, this shift reflects the growing focus on hard-to-abate sectors such as steel, cement, and petrochemicals, where emissions are structurally embedded in production processes. As regional demand for these materials continues to expand, countries face the dual challenge of scaling industrial output while reducing emissions without disrupting existing energy and industrial systems.

While CCUS presents a technically viable pathway to address this challenge, its deployment remains constrained by persistent barriers, including high capital costs, regulatory uncertainty, limited CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure, and unclear business models. In response, policy attention and investment strategies are evolving, with several countries beginning to reposition CCUS within broader industrial transition and carbon management frameworks.

ADB has been engaged in CCUS since 2009 and has more recently supported analytical and pilot work in countries such as India and Indonesia. This session will highlight emerging applications of CCUS in industrial contexts, examine continuing structural challenges, and facilitate dialogue among stakeholders on how to enable scalable and commercially viable deployment across Asia.