ECCSEL aims at gaining recognition as a world-class research infrastructure based within leading European Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) institutions and knowledge centres. It will be due for registration in 2015, forming a legal entity allocating efforts and resources to selected scientific and technological aspects of the CCS chain. ECCSEL will enable high-ranking researchers and scientists from all regions of Europe (and from third countries) to access state-of-the-art research facilities to conduct advanced technological research actions relevant to CCS. The proposed project aims to : • implement ECCSEL as a not-for-profit organisation consistent with the European Research Infrastructure Consortium legal framework ; • initiate operations of ECCSEL as a world-class CCS research infrastructure in accordance with the principles developed during the preparatory phase; • develop the research infrastructure to an upgraded common standard in terms of quality of services, management and access provision;

The overarching goal of CCUS ZEN is the accelerated deployment of CCUS throughout Europe, which will be achieved by: • Sharing knowledge and disseminating information important for stakeholders to make informed decisions on CCUS • Developing specific and actionable plans for the development of CCUS value chains As CCUS developments around the North Sea (NS) region are relatively mature, CCUS ZEN will leverage these developments as best practice for the development of new CCUS value chains in the currently underdeveloped Baltic Sea (BS) and the Mediterranean Sea (MS) Regions. While CCUS value chains, i.e., the entire pathway from CO2 capture to transport to its eventual storage or utilization, can today be realized, the industry is still in its infancy and many issues must be addressed to achieve the rapid deployment required. The consortium, consisting of 15 partners, including 2 associations with over 400 members in total, brings together entities with leading expertise on all aspects of CCUS value chains. 30 organisations, representing industry, RTOs, Associations, clusters, ports and municipalities involved in the development and deployment of CCUS value chains, will contribute their expertise as networking partners. Starting from an analysis of the technical and non-technical state-of-play in the BS and MS regions, CCUS ZEN will select at least eight value chains (four in each region) for detailed study and comparison with successful value chains from the NS region. One value chain from each analysed region will then be selected as most promising, with a detailed plan for further development. Through its knowledge-sharing activities and transfer of best practices from the NS region, CCUS ZEN will provide an information basis for the future CCUS value chains, including policy recommendations and a blueprint for CCUS value chain development, including easily accessible technology and CO2 source mapping, generic technical frameworks and business plan models.