Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) includes methods that remove carbon dioxide from the air and store it for the long term. CDR is being explored as one possible tool to cut harmful emissions, especially those that are harder to eliminate in sectors like aviation, shipping, and heavy industry.
The Massachusetts CDR Study looks at whether and how CDR could play a role in the state’s climate efforts. It examines cost, ability to scale, long-term storage, environmental impacts, and policy considerations. The study will help state agencies, policymakers, and other stakeholders evaluate whether, when, and how CDR could be used in the state.
About the Massachusetts CDR Study
In 2024, the Massachusetts Legislature passed An Act Promoting a Clean Energy Grid, Advancing Equity and Protecting Ratepayers (S.2967), directing Mass Clean Energy Center to conduct and publish a study on the potential for CDR removal in the state and nearby federal waters.
The Massachusetts CDR Study was developed by RMI on behalf of MassCEC, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. It examines the opportunities, limitations, and risks of different approaches that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it for the long term, and how those approaches may relate to Massachusetts’ climate efforts.
The study reviews a range of carbon removal approaches, including both nature-based and technology-based solutions, and considers how they may apply in Massachusetts.
Key areas of analysis include:
- How carbon removal could support Massachusetts’ net-zero goals
- Estimated costs and uncertainties across different approaches
- How long removed carbon can be stored
- Measurement, reporting, and verification methods
- Environmental justice, land use, and community considerations
- Policy, regulatory, and market factors
The study does not assume carbon removal projects will move forward, nor does it recommend specific policy decisions. Its purpose is to provide objective information to support future discussions and decision-making.
Why Massachusetts Is Studying Carbon Removal
Massachusetts has made significant progress in reducing emissions through clean energy growth, energy efficiency, and electrification. However, many studies suggest that reaching net-zero emissions may also require addressing pollution from sectors that are difficult or costly to fully eliminate.
CDR is often discussed as one possible tool to help address these remaining emissions. At the same time, it raises important questions about cost, effectiveness, environmental impacts, and oversight. Understanding these tradeoffs is important before CDR is considered as part of a statewide climate strategy.
This study is designed to help clarify where uncertainties remain, where additional research or pilot projects may be useful, and how Massachusetts can evaluate CDR in a way that aligns with its climate, equity, and environmental protection goals.
Explore the Massachusetts CDR Study Resources
Final Report: An overview of CDR pathways, key findings, uncertainties, and policy‑relevant insights tailored to the Massachusetts context.
Technical Appendix: Supplemental materials with additional detail on the assumptions, methodologies, and data sources used in the study.