In the direction of the energy transition and decarbonization, one of the most developing technologies is CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage or, in Greek, capture and storage of carbon dioxide). This new "green" sector is distinguished by increasing mobility both at the business and transnational level, as shown by the recent agreement between France and Denmark for the transport and storage of CO2 quantities. However, the country leading the way and setting the tone for developments is Norway.
The most iconic project in the world - the one that shows the real potential of CO2 storage technology underground (that is, under the earth or the seabed) - is located at the Northern Lights facility in Bergen, Norway. Facilities which were visited in March by a scientific team of the Hellenic Hydrocarbons and Energy Resources Management Company (HEREMA) in order to find out what the implementation of CCS projects involves, with the aim of transferring the corresponding know-how to Greece.
What are the "Northern Lights" and why is the Oslo government betting so much on this technology as the most suitable and safe for capturing, channeling and storing CO₂?
The project, which was visited on behalf of HEREMA by the geoscientist Dr. Dimitris Ktenas and chemical engineer Eugenia Giakoumatou in the context of wider cooperation between Greece and Norway in energy transformation projects, is the first Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project in Europe in which an open and flexible infrastructure for CO₂ storage is being developed.
The "Northern Lights" project includes the process of transporting and storing carbon dioxide as part of the wider CCS program "Longship", which is implemented by the consortium of companies Equinor, Shell and TotalEnergies, with the support of the Norwegian government.
The design philosophy is that special 130m vessels will collect liquefied CO₂ (up to 7,500 cubic meters) from industries across Europe and transport it to the 'Northern Lights' terminal. The CO2 will then be piped for permanent storage in a deep underground saline aquifer in the North Sea.
In the first phase, industrial CO₂ emissions from factories in Oslo, such as cement plants and energy plants from waste treatment, will be captured. This first phase, which is under construction, is designed for an estimated storage capacity of 1.5 million tons of CO₂ per year and has a completion horizon of 2024. Ready, as the HEREMA team had the opportunity to see up close, is already the CO₂ collection point, the temporary storage unit and the largest part of the onshore pipeline, while only the underground pipeline is pending. That is, the one that will be connected to the carbon dioxide injection wells.
In a second phase, and as the demand for CO2 sequestration - storage increases across Europe, the facility's capacity is expected to expand to 5-6 million tons. In particular, nine more temporary storage tanks and an additional CO₂ collection point will be built.
The big picture, and what Norway is highlighting by investing in this project, is that the technology now exists to safely capture, channel and store large amounts of industrial CO₂ below the seabed. And that the example of the North Sea can be applied to other regions in Europe, but also internationally.
The Norwegian know-how that HEREMA wants to transfer
Norway is leading the way in the development of new technologies, both in CCS and offshore wind. In doing so, it is transforming its energy sector, with conventional industry successfully reducing its emissions, which is why the country is now in a position to pass on its know-how to other emerging European markets with a strong need for skilled workers. services.
It is exactly this Norwegian know-how, good practices and lessons learned from the Nordic experience that HEREMA wants to study and transfer to our country, in the context of a relevant 18-month program funded by the EEA Grants mechanism – a financial tool of the European Economic Area with contribution of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between countries with a view to their development.
The program "Overview of the transformation of the Norwegian hydrocarbon industry during the energy transition and its implementation in Greece" will last until the end of May 2024 and has as its object the cooperation of the two countries to explore "green" energy solutions - with an emphasis on offshore wind farms and CCS technology.
It is implemented jointly with the Norwegian scientific organization SINTEF (The Foundation for Industrial and Technical Research), while it also has the support of the Norwegian Embassy in Greece. In the context of the implementation of this program, the recent meetings of the Greek delegation in Bergen are included, as well as a corresponding visit that preceded with the object of the exchange of know-how for offshore wind farms with the participation of the Hellenic Wind Energy Scientific Association . Read more.......
source: energypress.gr (Kostas Deligiannis)