About the Sustainable Energy Infrastructure Partner

A sustainable energy infrastructure partner is developing one of Northern Europe’s most advanced CO₂ hubs at the Port of Aalborg — designed to receive, condition, and ship captured CO₂ from industrial emitters across Denmark and beyond.

Their mission is to build reliable, low-carbon logistics infrastructure for the expanding CCUS value chain — combining safety, scalability, and sustainability.

As part of the CO₂Vision initiative under Business Lighthouse North Denmark, the partner invites startups and innovators to help design the next generation of energy-efficient CO₂ handling systems — integrating local waste-heat and cooling symbioses into terminal operations.

Why This Partner Matters

The sustainable energy infrastructure partner is a key enabler in Northern Denmark’s emerging CO₂ and energy symbiosis.

The planned CO₂ terminal will connect to nearby data centers (HPC/Asetek) and Aalborg Forsyning’s district heating network — creating a circular flow of heat, cooling, and CO₂.

Normally, a CO₂ terminal relies on large, power-intensive compressors to reach dense phase. However, Aalborg’s unique surplus-heat resources enable a pump-based approach — using a liquid pump and an evaporator to heat CO₂ from –50 °C to 30–35 °C and pressurize it up to 180 bar.

This approach can:

  • Reduce electricity consumption by 70–80%

  • Significantly lower CAPEX and OPEX

  • Deliver cold water from the evaporator that can be reused locally as cooling

The result: a cheaper, greener, and smarter CO₂ hub — fully integrated into the local energy system.

How can we design and demonstrate flexible, low-energy CO₂ handling systems that turn local waste heat into a driver of decarbonized terminal operations?

We invite startups to explore and validate:

  • How low-grade heat (15–75 °C) from data centers or district heating can replace or supplement compression
    • What pump and evaporator technologies can safely and efficiently lift CO₂ from liquid to dense phase (≈180 bar)
    • How control systems can optimize between heat availability, electricity prices, and CO₂ throughput
    • Whether modular skids, heat exchangers, or hybrid storage systems can make the setup scalable to other hubs
    • How AI, predictive control, or digital twins can enhance reliability and minimize downtime

Pilot-ready or near-market startups with technologies in:

  • CO₂ pumping, compression, or hybrid pressurization
  • Advanced evaporators, heat exchangers, and thermal integration
    Energy-efficient process control and automation
  • Digital twins and smart-grid coupling
  • Modular and safe terminal hardware design
  • Circular reuse of cooling water and low-temperature energy

Selected startups will gain:

  • A pilot opportunity directly linked to the CO₂ hub at the Port of Aalborg
  • Access to local symbiosis partners — HPC/Asetek (data-center waste heat), Aalborg Forsyning (district heating), and Green Hub Denmark
  • Collaboration with engineering specialists on real process data and integration testing
  • Visibility through the CO₂Vision and Business Lighthouse platforms
  • Opportunities for joint development, commercialization, or investment