Roughly one third of industrial CO₂ emissions are currently considered technically difficult or even impossible to avoid. Sectors like cement, chemicals or steel still release significant amounts of greenhouse gases, even when processes are highly optimized. To help meet climate targets despite these challenges, carbon management technologies such as CCU (Carbon Capture and Utilization) and CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) are gaining increasing attention. Both approaches begin by capturing CO₂—but they differ significantly in what happens next.
CCU technologies repurpose the captured CO₂ as a raw material—used, for example, to produce synthetic fuels, chemicals or even construction materials. The benefit: rather than being emitted into the atmosphere, the CO₂ finds a secondary use.
CCS, on the other hand, takes a different route: after capture, the CO₂ is stored permanently in underground geological formations, such as depleted oil or gas reservoirs. Both technologies are being considered key tools for achieving climate neutrality—especially in sectors where emissions are process-related and therefore difficult to eliminate entirely.
The Assessment Gap: Why We’ve Lacked a Standardized Environmental Evaluation
To reliably assess how climate-friendly CCU and CCS technologies really are, life cycle assessments (LCAs) are needed. These evaluate environmental impacts across the entire life cycle of a process or product. But here lies the problem: existing international standards, such as ISO 14040/14044, don’t provide a clear framework tailored to the complex requirements of CCU and CCS systems.
Numerous factors—ranging from technological setup and energy sources to transport routes and long-term storage safety—make consistent assessment difficult. The lack of clear guidelines has made it harder to compare projects and to make sound decisions at the corporate and regulatory level.
DIN SPEC 91508 Brings New Clarity
This is where the new DIN SPEC 91508 comes in. Specifically designed for CCU and CCS technologies, this standard builds on and complements the existing ISO guidelines with practical instructions and criteria. It sets out how to define functional units, determine system boundaries, assess data quality, and handle uncertainties in modeling. It also provides methodologies for scenario and sensitivity analyses.
For the first time, this enables a consistent and transparent framework for evaluating the environmental impacts of CO₂ capture and utilization/storage technologies. It allows for meaningful comparisons—both between different technologies and in relation to conventional processes.
Building Trust and Providing Planning Certainty
DIN SPEC 91508 is intended for a wide range of stakeholders—from industry and research to policy-makers. It offers companies greater planning certainty when investing in climate-friendly technologies. For regulatory bodies, it provides a sound basis for evaluating sustainability. And perhaps most importantly, this new transparency can help build public trust in CO₂ technologies—an essential factor in gaining social acceptance.
Standardization as a Catalyst for Industrial Climate Solutions
With DIN SPEC 91508, a methodologically robust tool is now available that enhances the comparability of CCU and CCS technologies and supports the transition to a low-carbon industry. Clearly defined criteria, traceable analyses and consistent benchmarks are crucial for driving climate action in a credible way—and that’s exactly where this new standard makes its contribution.
