Supporters of the new technology present the project as an example of how European industry can significantly reduce its CO2 emissions.
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten called Yara an example of how Europe can make its industry more sustainable. Yara itself also describes it as an important step for European industry.
Climate
Climate policy is not the only factor at play. EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra linked emission reduction to strengthening the competitiveness of European industry. According to him, practical climate solutions are needed that combine both objectives.
Promotion
Yara expects the installation to capture and store approximately 12 million tons of CO2 over the next fifteen years. The project is also an example of Dutch-Norwegian cooperation: the CO2 is captured and liquefied in the Netherlands and then permanently stored in Norway.
Norwegian seabed
At the facility located in Sluiskil, the captured CO2 is temporarily stored in large tanks. Afterward, the liquid greenhouse gas is transported by ship to Øygarden on Norway’s west coast. Northern Lights handles the transport and storage.
From Øygarden, the CO2 is moved to a storage site approximately 2,600 meters beneath the seabed. According to Northern Lights, the project demonstrates that capture and cross-border storage can be a feasible solution. Yara is the first commercial customer of Northern Lights.
At the official opening, alongside the Dutch Prime Minister, were Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Yara CEO Svein Tore Holsether, and Hoekstra. Støre emphasized that Norway has great potential to store CO2 beneath the seabed.
Fossil
Supporters view CO2 capture primarily as a means to reduce emissions from industrial production. However, the technology is controversial. Opponents argue that carbon capture leads to prolonged use of fossil fuels and extends polluting production.
There are also doubts about what the technology can ultimately achieve for the climate. Critics point to disappointing results in CO2 capture so far.
Additionally, there are scientific warnings that much less CO2 can be stored underground than previously assumed. As such, the future of large-scale CO2 storage remains a subject of debate.