Colorado Carbon Management Roadmap
Exploring carbon management opportunities to help us meet our climate goals.
On behalf of the State of Colorado, the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) worked with a qualified contractor to develop a Colorado Carbon Management Roadmap. CEO released a final version of the Roadmap in February 2025 following a robust stakeholder engagement and public feedback process. This roadmap identifies the carbon management, climate, and economic opportunities available in Colorado that best leverage Colorado's natural resources, industry, labor force, and economic development capabilities.
Read the Colorado Carbon Management Roadmap
Carbon management includes carbon dioxide removal, carbon capture, carbon sequestration or storage, and carbon utilization.
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Project Background
Achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in Colorado will require strategies to eliminate emissions across all sectors of the economy. While advancements in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and electrification will drive the majority of the State’s emissions reductions, carbon management will play an important role in reaching our climate goals.
The Carbon Management law (HB23-1210) directs the Colorado Energy Office to develop a Carbon Management Roadmap to guide policy and regulatory frameworks for the State of Colorado.
Stakeholder Engagement and Public Comment
CEO hosted several stakeholder engagement opportunities in summer 2024 to inform the initial Carbon Management Roadmap draft. This included roundtables with experts and virtual and in-person community meetings across the state.
CEO held a virtual public comment listening session on the Carbon Management Roadmap draft in November 2024. During this session, CEO presented an overview of the roadmap draft, then provided time for questions and public comment. CEO also accepted public comment on the draft Roadmap for one month.
Watch Roadmap overview recording
View Roadmap overview presentation slides
CEO released the final version in February 2025.
What is carbon management?
While Colorado’s primary strategy to address climate change is transitioning to 100% clean electricity to power energy efficient buildings, vehicles, and industry, carbon management will play an important supporting role in achieving Colorado’s net-zero emissions target by 2050. Carbon Management includes:
- Carbon dioxide removal (CDR): Capturing carbon directly from the air, regardless of the location and source of the emissions. CDR includes nature-based strategies, such as soil-based carbon storage, wildland conservation and restoration, and forest management; and technological strategies, such as direct air capture.
- Point-source carbon capture: Capturing carbon directly at the source before it reaches the air. This method will help meet emissions reduction goals in hard-to-decarbonize sectors where other strategies, such as energy efficiency and electrification, cannot fully eliminate emissions.
- Carbon utilization: Turning captured carbon into valuable products such as fuels, chemicals, and building materials like concrete.
- Carbon storage (sequestration): Permanently storing captured carbon in suitable underground geologic formations that ensure the safety of surface habitats and underground sources of drinking water.
