A 900-km pipeline is to be constructed by 2032 to transport CO2 from an energy hub in northern Germany to storage sites in Norway. According to the companies, the transport capacity will be 20 to 40 million metric tons of CO2 per year, representing around 20 percent of Germany's total annual industrial emissions.
The cooperation should "establish technical and commercial solutions" for the development of cross-border CCS value chains in Europe, Wintershall Dea CEO Mario Mehren said. The companies will work with governments to "shape a regulatory framework that can enable this."
Under certain circumstances, transport and underground storage could already start before the pipeline is completed. In this case, the CO2 would be temporarily transported by ship.
"This is a strong energy partnership supporting European industrial clusters' need to decarbonize their operations," Equinor CEO Anders Opedal said. Licenses for the offshore storage of 15 to 20 million metric tons of CO2 annually are to be acquired jointly.
CO2 capture and storage is currently not possible in Germany as the country's federal states are making use of an opt-out clause. The cooperation between Wintershall Dea and Equinor now links Germany, Europe's largest CO2 emitter, with Norway, "which has Europe's largest CO2 storage potential."
Unlike in Norway, the storage of CO2 in the ground is broadly considered risky in Germany. "In the event of leakage, harmful effects on groundwater and soil may occur," the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) has warned.
However, during a visit to Norway earlier this month, Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the CCS method "fascinating." He added: "In terms of CO2 storage, I think there have been great impressive technological options and developments in recent years."
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