International cooperation on CCS

Various governments have worked to realize a full-scale project for the capture, transport and storage of CO₂ (CCS) in Norway. The Norwegian Parliament approved the Solberg government's full scale CCS project in Meld. St. 33 (2019–2020) Longship - capture, transport and storage of CO₂ in the state budget for 2021. The ambition is to realise a cost efficient solution for full-scale CCS in Norway, given that it facilitates an international advancement of CCS technology. The goal is that a demonstration of CCS will provide the necessary development and deployment of CCS so that Norway and the EU can reach their long term climate goals at the lowest possible costs.

European cooperation on CCS

The European Union (EU) and Europe are prioritized in the international work on CCS and the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy pays close attention to and provides input to relevant processes in the EU in order to safeguard Norwegian interests related to CCS. Norway works closely with other countries in order to contribute to the global development of CCS and other low-emission technologies through various regional networks, such as the North Sea Basin Task Force and Nordic Baltic Networking Group on Carbon Capture, Use and Storage. Norway also helps facilitate the development of CCS through the EEA grants in beneficiary states. The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy participates in several forums with a focus on the development of frameworks and regulations for safe capture and storage of CO₂ in Europe, including Zero Emissions Platform, the technical adviser to the EU on the deployment of CCS.

The Norwegian full scale CCS project, Longship, includes a CO₂ storage with a substantial capacity beyond what is necessary for the Norwegian capture projects in Longship. Thus, other industrial actors can capture and store CO₂ without investing in the development of another CO₂ storage. An available CO₂ storage can help facilitate the planning of potential capture projects and trigger new capture projects, primarily in Europe.

Cooperation outside Europe

In the international work on CCS outside of Europe, Norway aims to support competence building and the transfer of experience. Norway has looked into the opportunities for CCS internationally and supported initiatives and tools to promote CCS internationally, emphasising development countries with significant emission sources and with increasing greenhouse gas emission rates.

Norwegian support of foreign projects takes place in cooperation with other countries and through existing programs and institutions. Norway, through the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, The Research Council of Norway and Gassnova, are represented in almost all relevant international bodies who work on CCS. Norway support the development of CCS internationally through the World Bank CCS Trust Fund, Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum's (CSLF) Capacity Building Program, and within the context of Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) and Mission Innovation.