Risk management and assurance provider DNV has unveiled a new service specification, SE-0696, aimed at verifying and certifying carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) facilities. This structured methodology is designed to de-risk CCUS projects throughout their lifecycle by addressing challenges across design, construction, and operation. The release of SE-0696 is timely as the global scaling of carbon capture technologies has been sluggish. The specification encompasses critical aspects of CCUS subsystems, such as CO2 capture, compression, safety assessments, and material selection, ensuring safety, regulatory compliance, and investor confidence. With projections indicating a substantial growth in CCS over the coming years, reaching up to 1,300 MtCO2/yr by 2050, standardized verification becomes paramount. SE-0696 not only defines risk-based verification levels for CCUS subsystems but also aligns with existing DNV documents and caters to CCUS-specific challenges. Moreover, the specification supports both onshore and offshore applications, even hybrid projects like blue hydrogen with CCUS. By facilitating stakeholder management and providing clear scopes and certificates, SE-0696 enables developers to navigate the verification process efficiently, reducing uncertainties that could impede investment decisions. Lucy Craig, Senior Vice-President of Growth, Innovation & Digitalisation of Energy Systems at DNV, emphasizes the importance of CCUS in the decarbonization journey, highlighting the necessity of a pragmatic approach to accelerate the energy transition. The positive sentiment towards CCUS is evident in the commitment to industry growth and environmental sustainability shown through the release of DNV's comprehensive service specification.