Urgency with carbon capture and storage of CO2

One of the last things the coalition government did before it went off in 2013 was to shelve the full-scale plant at Mongstad. The present government promised that, despite this, they held on to the promise of a Norwegian CCS projects by 2020. A demanding position for the Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Tord Lien, who now must hammer out a new CCS policy for Norway.

The Department of Oil and Energy published last week the Gassnova report on potential full-scale CCS projects in Norway - a pre-feasibility study.

The study shows that several industrial companies may be willing to consider CO2 capture and storage, but this is - not surprisingly - depending on the framework established by the state.

ZERO believes it is positive that Gassnova makes specific recommendations to facilitate further feasibility of CO2 capture at both Norcem and Yara facilities. That the body of waste treatment in Oslo, and further studies of CO2 capture at the Klemetsrud plant, is highlighted, is also good.

The study concludes on the other hand that a basis for investment decision for a CO2 capture project, at the earliest can be presented in autumn 2018. And this means that it will be very difficult to realize full-scale demonstration of CO2 capture in Norway by 2020.

ZERO said the study confirms the need and the good potential for CCS in Norway. And that we have the ability to initiate measures to expedite the process towards the realization of a full-scale project. In other words, now we have to move forward in terms of Norwegian CCS policy. The goal put forward in the so called climate agreement to establish a Norwegian full-scale CCS projects by 2020, is an appropriate level of ambition and an achievable goal.
Less good is it when, as here, the authorities questions whether this goal is possible. The longer we hesitate now, the greater the chances that we do not succeed with a Norwegian CCS plants by 2020.

It is still within reach to organize and build a CCS project in three years, as the example of Saskatchewan in Canada shows, with the construction of the SaskPower’ Boundary Dam CCS project.

This is how it can be done:

1.The annual state budget for 2016 must have concrete and effective measures and adequate funding. Funds must be granted in the state budget for the entire planning period of the three projects included in the national feasibility study, so that there will not be new periods of time lost due to anticipation of new political budgetary decision.

2. A grant of funds to one (or more) projects, should come in 2017

3. 2017-2020: organization, construction and commissioning of a Norwegian full-scale CCS project

We believe that Tord Lien can get CCS on track. Norway needs through concrete action to show that the stated goal of Norwegian full-scale CCS still remains unchanged, and that Norway takes responsibility for its share of greenhouse cuts that are necessary to reach the international goal of a zero-emission society by 2050

Publications:

Policy instruments for large scale CCS - ZERO

Scaling CO2 storage industry - Bellona