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However, in November 2008, the proposal to subsidize the CCS demonstration plants appeared to be headed for defeat. Several European countries have voiced opposition to the plan, including Spain, Germany, France, Denmark, Hungary, and Poland. Among the objections to the proposal include concerns that it puts too much investment in experimental carbon capture and not enough incentives for proven technologies like solar power and hybrid cars. European nations with the largest populations, including Spain and Germany, have extra votes and could force the research plan to be omitted from the larger EU climate and energy legislation. If the subsidy plan fails to pass, the pilot projects may not be able to secure financing.<ref>[http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=a9VLEsS3aU2Q&refer=home "Europe's $14 Billion Clean-Coal Plan Lacking Backers,"] Bloomberg, November 18, 2008.</ref><ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/8021434/print "France proposes reduced funding for CO2 capture,"] ''Guardian'', November 14, 2008.</ref>
==Canada policies and programs==
===[[Alberta's tar sands]]===
On June 24, 2011, the province of Alberta said it would provide C$745 million to test [[carbon capture and sequestration]] technology on [[Royal Dutch Shell]]'s Scotford Upgrader, which is similar to a refinery for processing heavy oil. The Canadian government will chip in an additional C$120 million, making the project one of the most expensive attempts to control carbon dioxide output from Alberta's oil sands region.
The deal is the first test of whether greenhouse gas output from upgraders can be controlled, according to Shell. The project -- which will receive the money over a 15-year time span -- would inject 1 million metric tons of C02 underground in saline rock formations. The injections would start in 2015.
Environmental groups say the CCS proposal actually would raise Alberta's emissions over time, since the province simultaneously changed the way companies can receive [[carbon offset]] credits under a provincial greenhouse gas law, allowing companies to receive double the credit to reduce overall emissions for every metric ton of pollution reduced via CCS projects that "store carbon dioxide permanently." That means companies will be able to avoid more emissions at their own facilities simply by counting CCS as a "double" offset under provincial law.<ref>Christa Marshall, [http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=canada-makes-bet-on-carbon-capture-squestration "Canada Makes Big Bet on Carbon Capture and Sequestration"] Scientific American, June 27, 2011.</ref>
==Other Issues==