CDR Costs and Potentials
Citation: Fuss S, Lunstrum A (2026). Chapter 10: Costs and potentials. In The State of Carbon Dioxide Removal, 3rd edition. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/FBZ4X · chapter PDF on OSF
What it is: The costs-and-potentials chapter of the State of CDR report. Its biochar paragraphs summarize published estimates of removal potential, modelled deployment, and cost. The figures below are the chapter’s summaries of other studies.
Key figures
| Figure | Value | Where | Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sustainable removal potential | Up to 2.7 GtCO₂/yr | Chapter PDF, biochar section | ✓ full text |
| Total mitigation potential (including avoided and reduced emissions) | Up to 10.3 GtCO₂/yr | Chapter PDF, biochar section | ✓ full text |
| Economic potential in some studies | As low as <0.1 GtCO₂/yr | Chapter PDF, biochar section | ✓ full text |
| Modelled removals, Highest Ambition scenario | <0.1–1.1 GtCO₂/yr by 2050 | Chapter PDF, biochar section | ✓ full text |
| Future cost | US$70–360/tCO₂ | Chapter PDF, biochar section | ✓ full text |
| Earlier estimates of 2050 cost | US$10–345/tCO₂ | Chapter PDF, biochar section | ✓ full text |
| Current role | Largest contributor to current removals from novel CDR methods | Chapter PDF, biochar section | ✓ full text |
Use with care
- Earlier vault notes cite this chapter as “Fuss et al.”; it has two authors, Fuss & Lunstrum.
- The chapter reports these ranges from studies it cites. Check its references before treating a number as the chapter’s own estimate.
Related: CDR Potential and IPCC Accounting · Quantitative Benchmarks · Key Sources