Carbon Clean opens one of ‘the world’s biggest’ CCUS research hubs in India

July 3, 2025, by Sara Kosmajac

London-based carbon capture company Carbon Clean has inaugurated what is hailed as one of the ‘world’s largest’ dedicated carbon capture research facilities in Navi Mumbai, India.

As disclosed, the new Global Innovation Centre (GIC) spans 77,121 square feet, housing two carbon capture plants together with laboratories for solvent development, analysis and testing. GIC is envisaged to function as a hub for research, innovation and technology demonstration, the UK-headquartered company has said.

In particular, the center is to support carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) research, with the goal of speeding up the engineering and deployment of these solutions, particularly in hard-to-abate industries. What is more, this investment is anticipated to deepen the ties between the United Kingdom and India in clean technology.

Representatives from Carbon Clean have also highlighted that the facility could play an important role in scaling up the deployment of CycloneCC, the company’s modular CO2 capture solution, said to offer a ‘scalable’ decarbonization pathway.

“As a UK-headquartered company founded in India, this investment underscores the economic and industrial opportunities CCUS offers both countries. It also reflects our global commitment to tackling the complex challenge of industrial decarbonization at scale,” Aniruddha Sharma, Chair and CEO of Carbon Clean, commented.

Sharma further remarked: “With pilot partnerships already underway in India we are well positioned to progress rapidly from demonstration to large-scale deployment, helping industries remain competitive as regulations such as the EU and UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms come into force.”

As India works toward a goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070, CCUS has emerged as a ‘critical’ pillar in the country’s climate strategy. With heavy industries like steel, cement and oil refining contributing significantly to India’s carbon footprint, the government and the private sector have joined forces to mobilize policy frameworks, pilot projects and international collaboration to scale up this nascent but important technology.

The centerpiece of the country’s push is the upcoming National CCUS Mission, which aims to provide financial incentives, including viability gap funding and carbon pricing mechanisms, to encourage industries to adopt carbon capture systems (CCS). The move came practically alongside the 2023-launched Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), which mandates emission cuts for high-polluting sectors while creating a voluntary carbon market for companies seeking offsets.

On the ground, India’s ‘first’ industrial-scale CO2 capture project has taken shape through the collaboration between Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL). The two players aim to capture CO2 emissions at Gujarat’s Koyali refinery and store them in the nearby Gandhar oil field. As informed, other public sector refiners, including Bharat Petroleum (BPCL), are anticipated to roll out similar CCUS initiatives by 2026.

In terms of international collaboration, Indian companies and organizations have teamed up with numerous stakeholders to combat emissions and support a wider utilization of CCS. In December 2022, for instance, UK-headquartered energy giant Shell joined forces with ONGC to focus on a joint CO2 storage study and EOR screening assessment for ‘key basins’ in the South Asian country.

The Netherlands-headquartered geo-data specialist Fugro also announced in August 2023 that it would pool resources with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Mumbai, to help slash India’s emissions with CCUS technology.

On a more global scale, according to Norway-based classification society DNV, CCS is currently at the crossroads, showing the potential to quadruple in value by 2030. The biggest risks for this technology right now, as noted by DNV, are worldwide economic instability and budgetary pressures, which could slow down CO2 capture initiatives.

In order to reach the Pathway to Net Zero Emissions, DNV underscored that CCS needs to scale to six times the current level.

View on Offshore-energy.