NOR-GE CCS, or Norwegian-German CCS, is the latest large-scale project in Europe. Equinor and Wintershall Dea are partnering to develop this new project. NOR-GE CCS includes a 900 km transmission network in the North Sea. Thus, it will connect Germany to Norway.
NOR-GE CCS will store 40 million tons of CO2 per year
NOR-GE CCS consists of the creation of a pipeline for the transport of carbon from continental Europe to Norway. By 2032, when the project is completed, 20% of total German emissions will be stored.
Anders Opedal, CEO of Equinor, explains:
“This is a strong energy partnership that addresses the need for European industrial clusters to decarbonize their operations. Wintershall Dea and Equinor are committed to the energy transition and will use the skills and experience of both companies to work with governments and partners to help achieve the net zero target.”
The storage of CO2 creates a real raw material that can be used as an energy source. But above all, it allows to drastically reduce the emissions of industries.
However, the cost of this technique remains high and its long-term consequences are unknown. The companies thus intend to respect the commitments made by the European Union in terms of environmental impact.
A solution to reduce CO2 emissions
In response to the Ukrainian crisis, both companies have increased their investments in oil and gas production. However, they intend to decarbonize their activities.
In fact, Norway is a particularly suitable territory for CO2 storage. Germany, on the other hand, is one of the largest carbon emitters in the EU.
Germany’s energy supply is mainly based on coal and gas. This is a problem for him in this context. In January, 55% of its gas imports came from Russia. By lowering these, it has intensified the exploitation of coal.
In addition, his policy was to close nuclear power plants and compensate with renewable energies. The possibility of a lasting partnership between these two countries through their companies is therefore an opportunity for Germany.
