Large scale carbon capture from fossil fuel plants is a key technical route tocut man-made CO2 emissions. As a result, US, Japan, and European countries are all vigorously developing carbon capture technologies, in response to mandatory emission reduction policies.

In China, approximately 60% of CO2 emissions come from thermal power generation. Carbon capture technology has been explicitly listed in the National Medium- and Long-term Science and Technology Development Plan towards 2020 in China.

Beijing set up the first carbon capture facility from coal-fired power plants in China (3000 tonnes/day) in 2008, which proved to be a major highlight of the "Green Olympics", and it has greatly promoted the international image of Beijing. To welcome the 2010 World Expo, Shanghai has established a R&D "Centre of GHG Emission Reductions", and started to construct the second carbon capture pilot in Huaneng Shidongkou power plant.

The Pearl River Delta is one of the forefronts of China's economic development, with the significant growth potential for power demand. The collaboration on developing clean coal technologies was prioritised, in a recent discussion between Huang Huahua, Governor of Guangdong Province and Ed Miliband, UK Secretary of State of Climate Change and Energy.

Researchers from Chinese Academy of Science, Tsinghua University, LinksChina Investment, Imperial College London, University of Cambridge, Edinburgh University are currently working together to explore the capture opportunities, potential transportation routes and storage capacity in Guangdong province. They found Guangdong has significant potential in deploying CCS technologies, as 75% of thermal power plants could access suitable geological basins for CO2 storage in the region.

In June 2009, a Carbon Capture Ready road-show was organized by British Consulate Guangzhou. The event invited scientists, engineers, and politicians investigating possible financial and technical schemes to make new thermal power plants in Guangdong preparing for carbon capture and storage (called 'CO2 Capture Ready').