Black is the new green : Sustainable diffusion of innovation

Abstract

The Finnfjord algae project has been labelled a carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) project as it holds significant promise in converting CO2 into biomass. Distinct from carbon capture and storage (CCS), which focuses solely on trapping and storing CO2 in underground geological formations, CCU goes a step further, presenting an economic incentive through the potential monetisation of products, services, and technologies derived from CO2 capture (Friedlingstein et al., 2020; Stocker, 2014; Styring et al., 2011). This approach not only helps reduce point source greenhouse gas emissions but also creates value by turning a harmful waste product into a resource. However, a pivotal concern about CCU is its potential to only delay the eventual CO2 emission, rather than permanently sequestering it. This has raised questions from scholars in different fields about its long-term impact, with a common perspective that the broader environmental implications of deploying CCU at scale still require comprehensive scrutiny (Olfe-Kräutlein, 2020; Roy et al., 2023).