A carbon capture facility has been inaugurated in the Netherlands at Yara’s plant, from where CO2 will be transported by ship to Norway for permanent storage under the seabed as part of the Northern Lights project.
Deemed Europe’s largest industrial carbon capture facility, it will capture up to 800,000 tons of CO2 annually from ammonia production, thereby avoiding carbon taxation on these volumes, with the CO2 to be liquefied and temporarily stored at Yara Sluiskil.
“This is an important day for Yara and for European industry. The carbon capture facility in Sluiskil proves that large-scale industrial decarbonization is possible today. As global competition intensifies, Europe must find ways to cut emissions while keeping industry, jobs and critical value chains in Europe. That is exactly what this project is about,” said Svein Tore Holsether , President and CEO of Yara International.
Northern Lights vessels will transport the CO2 to Øygarden, Norway, where it will be permanently stored 2,600 meters below the seabed. The project is expected to capture and store approximately 12 million tons of CO2 over 15 years.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, European Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth Wopke Hoekstra, and President and CEO of Yara International, Svein Tore Holsether, were present at the inauguration.
“This is a milestone we have been looking forward to. We are proud to start operations together with Yara and to see the agreement signed in 2023 become reality. Together, we are demonstrating that capture and cross-border CO₂ transport and storage is a viable solution for European industry,” said Tim Heijn , Managing Director of Northern Lights.
“This is an important step in the development of Europe’s carbon management market and shows what is possible when industry and governments work together to build the infrastructure needed for Europe’s transition.”