What the Fossil Fuel Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know

Lyrebird Dreaming - Gregory Andrews

A new peer-reviewed study from Stanford University scientifically confirms what many of us already know: carbon capture is not only a distraction, it’s more expensive, less effective, and ultimately more dangerous than simply switching to clean, renewable energy.

The fossil fuel industry and its barons don’t want you to know this. Why? Because carbon capture and storage (CCS) offers them an excuse to keep digging, drilling, and polluting under the guise of “solutions.” 

But make no mistake - CCS is a Trojan Horse. And if we let it dominate the climate narrative, we will be locking in emissions, wasting billions, and missing the window to secure a livable planet.

The Truth, Backed by Science

The Stanford study - led by Professor Mark Jacobson and published in Energy and Environmental Science - compared two climate pathways across 149 countries:

• Scenario A: Continue burning fossil fuels but add carbon capture.
• Scenario B: Rapidly replace fossil fuels with wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal energy.

The results? A complete no-brainer.

• Switching to renewables reduces total energy demand by 54%
• It cuts energy costs by nearly 60% annually
• And it prevents millions of deaths from air pollution each year
• All while being cheaper, faster, and more reliable than CCS

CCS is Expensive, Inefficient, and Misleading

The fossil fuel barons claim CCS can ‘clean up’ coal and gas. But here’s what they don’t say:

• Most CCS projects are powered by fossil fuels themselves, increasing overall emissions.
• Captured carbon is often reused for more oil extraction (aka Enhanced Oil Recovery).
• It costs far more to capture, transport, and store CO₂ than it does to build renewables that don’t emit CO₂ in the first place.
• They can’t ensure CO₂ doesn’t leak from storage sites.

According to Jacobson’s research, carbon capture no matter how advanced can’t match the simplicity or efficiency of replacing fossil fuels with clean energy. Even when powered by zero-emission electricity, CCS still consumes more energy than it saves, making it a net loss for the planet.

The Real Agenda: Delay

Let’s be honest. Carbon capture isn’t about solving the climate crisis. 

It’s about buying time for polluters who are making billions from fossil fuels at the expense of our kids and country.

The fossil fuel lobby knows their social licence is crumbling. Communities are rising. Young people and old are protesting. Investors are pulling out. 

So, the fossil fuel barrons are pushing shiny distractions - like CCS, hydrogen from gas, and “abated” fossil fuels. They’re focused on green washing not real change.

Australia Can’t Afford the Lie

Right now, Australian taxpayers are funding CCS white elephants. Just look at the billions being poured into Santos’ and Woodside’s gas expansion projects, propped up by promises of future carbon capture - despite decades of failure and under-performance.

Meanwhile, rooftop solar is booming. Community batteries are ready. Electrification is slashing bills. First Nation and rural communities are installing renewables for self-reliance and to cut diesel reliance.

The truth is we already have the solutions we need. Clean, reliable, affordable energy is not a dream - it’s a reality lived by millions around the world. What Australia is lacking is political courage and industry honesty.

It’s time to call out carbon capture for what it is: a delay tactic designed to protect fossil fuel profits, not people or the planet.

What You Can Do

• Share this blog. Truth spreads faster than spin.
• Support renewables. Whether it’s a solar panel, a battery, or ditching gas appliances - every action counts.
• Demand better from our government. Ask your MP why billions are going to CCS instead of clean energy.
• Fund real climate action. From grassroots climate movements to First Nations renewable projects, your dollar can drive systemic change.

The bottom line? We don’t need to capture carbon. We just need to stop producing it. 

Links

• Global Warming is Accelerating and Tracking at Worst-Case Scenarios
• Woodside’s Gas Expansion Wipes Out Climate Progress - 50 Times Over
• Albanese Lets Off Biggest-Ever Carbon Bomb
• Youth Voices for Climate and Country: Hope and Action from Southeast Sydney
• Imagine Australia as a Green Energy Superpower: It’s Possible!