Gali: Apollo CO2, the first CCS hub in Greece

Ms. Maria Rita Galli, CEO of DESFA, spoke about the role that natural gas will play as a transition fuel at a regional level in the medium and long term, in the context of the  10th Delphi Economic Forum , which is taking place in Delphi from April 9 to 12.

At the same time, in another panel, she highlighted the pivotal role of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies in Greece’s and Europe’s transition towards a climate-neutral economy. She pointed out that the development of reliable and large-scale CO₂ transport infrastructure is a prerequisite for accelerating the implementation of CCS technologies and achieving European climate goals.

“CCS is no longer a future scenario; it is a necessity of the present,” she said, characterizing the role that DESFA can play as a catalyst for the development of an integrated CCS system in Greece. As she emphasized, although many Greek industries secure European funding for CO₂ capture technologies, the big gap is in the transportation and storage infrastructure. “This is the gap that DESFA is coming to fill,” he noted.

In this context, she presented the APOLLO CO₂ project, which has already been designated a Project of Common Interest (PCI) by the European Union. The project, in collaboration with ECOLOG, aims to create the first large-scale CCS hub in Greece by 2030. In the first phase, it is envisaged to capture 3 to 5 million tons of CO₂ from industries in the Attica region, with the possibility of scaling up to 10 million tons.

The CO₂ will be transported via a specialized pipeline network to the Revithoussa LNG Terminal, where the existing cryogenic infrastructure will be utilized for its liquefaction with an energy efficiency up to eight times higher than conventional methods. It will then be transported to offshore storage facilities, initially in Prinos and Ravenna (Italy), and possibly in Egypt, leveraging the high expertise of DESFA’s partners in the field of maritime transport.

Ms. Galli described APOLLO CO2 not just as a decarbonization project, but as a fully integrated, open-access and cross-border platform that allows industries to comply with EU climate targets while maintaining their competitiveness. “It is a single solution that removes key barriers, creates economies of scale and accelerates the implementation of CCS at national and European level,” she stressed.

At the same time, she stressed the need to establish a clear and stable regulatory framework, both at national and European level, that will facilitate the attraction of investment and ensure fair and transparent access to storage infrastructure - a point that currently constitutes a significant limiting factor.

Regarding the next steps, DESFA is preparing to submit the project proposal to the EU Innovation Fund, with a deadline of April 24. The project is also progressing dynamically at the environmental licensing level, while cooperation with the domestic industry is being strengthened. At the same time, storage agreements are being explored with countries such as Italy, Egypt and other states of SE Europe.

source: energypress.gr