CCUS and Norway

In 2007, the former prime minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg, claimed that carbon capture (CCUS) would be Norway's “moon landing”27. Ten years later, the technology was up and running with a facility at Mongstad oil refinery, today acting as an international training station and investment hub for foreign stakeholders. Shortly after, two new pilot projects were set to be realised, CCUS at the cement factory in Brevik in Porsgrunn and the waste facility at Klemetsrud28. At Klemetsrud in Oslo, bordering Viken municipality, lies a waste incineration plant, run by Fortum Oslo Varme, a 50% state-owned power company. The plant is alone responsible for the processing of Oslo's waste, and about 400 000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year, one third of the municipality's yearly emissions. An industry which is now seeking funding for a pilot project within carbon capturing. Their goal is to capture 100% of the emissions produced, which will also cut large parts of the municipality's annual emissions. Such a large scale pilot project was set to cost 6.8 billion NOK, partly funded by the company themselves, and a 3 billion NOK contribution from the Norwegian state. The European Commission decided to spend NOK 11 billion (1.1 billion euros) to support decarbonisation projects, but it was concluded in November 2021 that the Norwegian pilot project was not on this list29 .

Photograph: Klemetsrud waste incineration plant emitting 400 000 tons CO2/yearly30 .

27 Tore Killingland. 2018. “‘Månelandingen’ - Endelig?” Energi Og Klima. https://energiogklima.no/kommentar/manelandingen-endelig/. 28 Magnus Kallelid, Kjetil Magne Sørenes, Alf Ole Ask. 2020. “Regjeringen Vil Realisere Karbonfangst- Og Lagring Ved Norcems Sementfabrikk i Brevik.” Aftenposten. https://www. aftenposten.no/norge/politikk/i/ gWPj7L/regjeringen-vil-realisere-karbonfangst-og-lagringved-norcems-sement. 29 Ask, Alf Ole. 2021. “EU Støtter Ikke CO2-Rensing På Klemetsrud.” Energi Og Klima, 2021. https://energiogklima.no/nyhet/brussel/eu-stotter-ikke-co2-rensing-pa-klemetsrud/. 30 Norsk Fjernvarme, 2020, Klemetsrud, Fortum Oslo Varme, http://fjernvarme.no/