CCS in an European Perspective

CCS in an European Perspective

CCS stands for carbon capture and storage. CO₂ is captured, compressed and transported to a suitable storage site. CCS is part of the solution for many countries seeking to achieve their climate targets.

The 2015 Paris Agreement is a global agreement aimed at limiting the rise in global temperatures. The agreement commits participating countries to ambitious targets for reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), limiting global warming and achieving net-zero emissions will not be possible without deploying various forms of carbon capture and storage (CCS). Norway has established itself as a key player in this field through several decades of investment in the technology.

The European Commission outlines a sustainable approach to CCS to achieve climate neutrality by 2050

The EU has committed to achieving net-zero CO₂ emissions by 2050. While the primary focus will be on reducing current emissions, the EU recognises the need for technologies that can manage CO₂ by capturing it from flue gases or removing it directly from the atmosphere, followed by transportation and permanent storage.

This is particularly important in sectors such as cement production and waste incineration, where reducing emissions is challenging. The European Commission has therefore published a Communication on Industrial Carbon Management, outlining how these technologies can contribute to reducing emissions by 90% by 2040 and achieving climate neutrality by 2050.

Through the Net-Zero Industry Act, the European Commission proposes that the EU develop an annual CO₂ storage capacity of at least 50 million tonnes by 2030. Based on an impact assessment of the EU’s recommended 2040 climate target, this capacity will need to increase to approximately 280 million tonnes by 2040. The Net-Zero Industry Act had not yet been formally adopted by the EU as of 6 February 2024. At that time, the Council and the European Parliament had reached a provisional agreement on the proposed legislation.

Demonstrating that CO₂ management is safe and feasible in Europe

Longship is Europe’s first approved CCS project. Its purpose is to demonstrate that CO₂ management is safe and feasible. Longship aims to make a significant contribution to the development of CCS as an effective climate mitigation measure.
The project’s capture operators, Heidelberg Materials (Brevik CCS) and Hafslund Celsio (Oslo CCS), will deliver CO₂ to Northern Lights, which is responsible for transport and storage.