By Anders Lorenzen

Last month, the Danish government set aside funding for carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects, through an agreement reaching cross-party support across the political spectrum.

Over a period of 15 years, the government will inject 26.8 billion Danish kroner which should yield CO2 emission reductions of 2.3 million tonnes annually. 

Initially, two bidding rounds have been scheduled. The first is planned for June 2024 and the other the following year, with a target of having the projects up and running at full speed by 2029.

A step in the right direction 

Several companies have shown an interest in applying for funding and thereby starting the first Danish CCS projects.

Kredslob, a power plant, and Portland Aalborg, a cement factory, are among the first major companies in Denmark to show an interest in establishing CCS projects.

The industry groups, Dansk Industri (Danish Industry) and Green Power Denmark are both positive about the developments. They see it as a big step towards ensuring negative emissions and meeting the country’s climate targets.

The appeal

Kredslob use the technology that burns landfill and biomass, in order to generate heat. And by adopting CCS they would be able to capture some of the CO2 they emit through the industrial process. According to Lasse Sorensen, Head of Development, the company is planning to establish a CCS building which would capture CO2 permanently underground.

Despite the cost of the project, which can amount to over two billion Danish kroner, Sørensen believes it to be good business, explaining that they can capture 400,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.

Aalborg Portland, who are planning to apply during one of the two upcoming rounds, sees CCS as a critical component, enabling the company as well as Denmark to reach its climate targets, according to the Director of the company, Michael Lundgaard Thomsen.

Denmark’s climate targets aim that by 2030 the Scandinavian country should have reduced its emissions by 70% compared to 1990 levels, and by 2050 should be fully carbon neutral.

As per the latest stats available (the end of 2022), Aalborg Portland was Denmark’s largest CO2 emitter.