Swedish energy company Stockholm Exergi is to build what it said will be one of the world’s largest facilities for carbon capture and permanent storage.
Located in the Energy Port in Värtaverket, Sweden the project, known as Beccs Stockholm, will be Sweden’s first large-scale bioenergy plant with carbon capture and storage (CCS). Construction ‘will begin immediately’ with startup scheduled for 2028. The facility will capture up to 800,000 tonnes per year of carbon dioxide which it said is more than the total emissions from Stockholm’s road traffic during the year.
"The storage method is also well-proven and closely monitored to ensure the CO₂ is permanently stored in bedrock beneath the seabed where it mineralises over time," said Stockholm Exergi, which said it has been running a test facility since 2019 and the storage method is well proven and closely monitored.
The captured carbon will be stored temporarily and then shipped to Norway where it will be stored in bedrock under the North Sea. The storage will be handled by the Northern Lights project; a joint venture between Equinor, Shell and TotalEnergies.
During March this year, the Northern Lights project made a final investment decision to progress phase two of the Northern Lights development. The decision was made after signing a commercial agreement with Stockholm Exergi to transport and store up to 900,000 tonnes of biogenic carbon dioxide annually for 15 years.
Phase two of Northern Lights development will increase the total injection capacity from 1.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year to at least 5 million tonnes per year. The expansion builds on existing onshore and offshore infrastructure and includes additional onshore storage tanks, a new jetty, and additional injection wells. This development phase is expected to be completed and ready for operation in the second half of 2028.
The first phase of the Northern Lights project aimed to demonstrate feasibility of a new business model, solutions, and operations through collaboration among authorities, customers and project partners.
The project, which has a total investment cost of SEK13 billion ($1.3 billion) is backed by a number of organisations including the European Investment Bank, which has granted a loan of €260 million to Stockholm Exergi. This loan marks the first time that the EIB has financed a carbon capture operation.
EIB vice-president Thomas Östros said: “With this initiative, Sweden shows that it is possible to combine technological leadership with concrete climate benefits. By supporting Beccs Stockholm, we are taking an important step to enable negative emissions in Europe and globally. It is an example of how the EIB's climate mission is being implemented in practice."
Further reading:
• CCUS: New carbon capture targets needed says report
• Drax bioenergy and carbon capture project gets government green light
• H2H Saltend: green light for 600 MW low carbon hydrogen production project
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