The European Union plans to increase carbon capture and storage (CCS) to lower emissions from heavy industries. Officials target capturing 50 million tonnes of CO₂ annually by 2030 and 280 million tonnes by 2040. CCS technology traps carbon dioxide at industrial sites, converts it into liquid form, and stores it underground after transport by ship, truck, or pipeline.
Currently, Europe has only five CCS facilities, capturing about 2.7 million tonnes yearly. Most of this capacity is in Norway, which is not an EU member. Environmental groups like WWF caution that the EU’s strong focus on CCS risks overshadowing cleaner options such as renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements. For example, almost all EU-funded cement projects rely on CCS rather than reducing carbon-heavy production methods.
Norway’s Northern Lights project, operated by TotalEnergies, Shell, and Equinor, plans to store 1.5 million tonnes of CO₂ soon. It collects emissions from companies including Yara, Orsted, and Heidelberg Materials. However, the project currently depends on just two ships to transport CO₂ to storage in Øygarden through a 100-kilometre pipeline. Each ship carries 8,000 tonnes per trip, which is far below the volumes needed to meet long-term goals.
Analysts at Wood Mackenzie estimate transport and storage costs average $145 per tonne. Capturing emissions adds more expenses—about $30 per tonne for ammonia-based methods, says the International Energy Agency (IEA). For example, Yara might spend up to $202 million each year to reach partial reduction targets. Even with plans to add two more ships by 2026, capacity constraints and risks remain. Bad weather and mechanical issues could cause delays and cut delivery amounts. Strict conditions, like requiring dry tanks for CO₂ shipments, increase complexity and transit time.
Meanwhile, the Mediterranean’s Callisto project moves CO₂ from French industries to Italy’s Adriatic coast for storage. Led by Eni, Snam, and Air Liquide, it uses Italian pipelines and ships to navigate from southeastern France. Building specialized pipelines and ships raises upfront and running costs.
The EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) price, currently around €80 per tonne, is too low to attract sufficient investment. Roberto Bencini from the European Commission notes that long-distance transport further complicates economic viability. ETS price fluctuations add uncertainty, making projects financially risky. Eadbhard Pernot of the Zero Emissions Platform stresses that “no one will invest for 15 years without guaranteed pricing.” Some CCS projects advance only with carbon contracts for difference, which guarantee fixed carbon prices over time.
Without steady support and pricing, high costs and market volatility continue to block wider CCS adoption. The EU’s ambitious emission capture goals face technical, financial, and logistical hurdles as it balances CCS with renewable and energy efficiency solutions.