Targeted efforts aim to make North Jutland a hub for the capture, storage, and utilization of CO2

Is it possible to carry out the green transition so skillfully and effectively that it can both solve the climate crisis and create a new economic sector? Yes, according to North Jutland, which—through the CO2Vision project—is now making a determined push to turn the capture, storage, and utilization of CO2 into a two-pronged climate technology strategy that drives the green transition and economic growth at the same time.

The CO2Vision is divided into nine initiatives, all of which focus on the capture, storage, transport, or utilization of CO2. One of the subprojects is CCU Hub Aalborg, which is based on the fact that Aalborg is home to Aalborg Portland, Denmark’s largest industrial emitter of CO2. At CCU Hub Aalborg, the goal is to transform a problem into a raw material, explains Søren Knudsen Kær, Head of Technology Power-to-X at European Energy, which specializes in CO2 utilization for power-to-X and has concrete experience from a large e-methanol plant set to begin operations next year:

“We need to test and scale technological solutions that make it possible to use CO2 as a valuable resource. Capturing, storing, and utilizing CO2 through the production of green e-methanol for applications such as heavy-duty transportation and aviation fuel are among the solutions that will optimize our use of CO2 resources,” he says.

The CO2 value chain has been consolidated

Turning CO2 into a resource requires capturing it. That is why CO2 capture from Aalborg Portland is a key prerequisite for the CO2Vision project, which, among other things, aims to establish the basis for deciding on the most optimal technology for CO2 capture.

Aalborg Portland is investing hundreds of millions of kroner to achieve its ambitious climate goals. A long-term action plan has been developed that combines various solutions to significantly reduce emissions by 2030, says Michael Lundgaard Thomsen, CEO of Aalborg Portland A/S:

“We definitely feel a sense of responsibility for our emissions. Cement is a climate issue, but what many people don’t realize is that there are no other alternatives. Our plan is for 70 percent of our cement types to be converted to newer, more sustainable cements by 2025. In addition, we need to make a massive push to use more green fuels. The path to sustainability is a step-by-step process: new products, new fuels, and finally CO2 capture,” says Michael Lundgaard Thomsen.

The captured CO2 can be used or stored and serve as the raw material for the production of, for example, green e-methanol for ships and trucks—and perhaps even air travel. That is why the CCU Hub Aalborg subproject brings together all relevant stakeholders in the field to jointly develop and demonstrate the technology’s possibilities and potential.

A paradigm shift

Kjartan Ross, director of the association Carbon Neutral Transport Denmark, which is working to establish a European and Danish standard for green methanol, emphasizes the importance of the partner network representing the entire e-methanol value chain:

“We’re looking at everything, from industrial applications to home heating and private transportation. That approach requires a comprehensive value chain,” he says.

According to European Energy, one of the major hurdles is achieving sufficient scale to enable CO2 to be used for the many possible applications:

“This requires not only that we have a facility of sufficient size, but also that the infrastructure—in the form of pipes and electricity—is in place,” says Søren Knudsen Kær:

“There is great potential for CCU in several locations in North Jutland, but the capacity of the power grid is a major bottleneck in North Jutland, particularly in Vendsyssel. The grid must be expanded before we can fully realize this potential.”

But if we succeed in overcoming these challenges, there are benefits to be gained. Power-to-X is an absolutely essential part of the transition—not just of our energy supply, but also of our economy. It is precisely this aspect that Mette Ravnborg, project manager at CO2Vision, is looking forward to helping bring to fruition:

“Many jobs are at stake, and they can be created within the new climate-friendly economy. The vision and ambition is for North Jutland to be the region where the rest of the world can learn how to create growth and jobs while contributing to the green transition through an investment in climate technology,” she says.