The case in summary • The cement factory in Brevik in Telemark will be one of the world’s first major industrial projects where carbon capture and storage is used.• The plan is to capture 400,000 tonnes of CO₂, which is approximately half of the factory’s annual emissions.• The plant is now complete, and will start testing. The aim is to have the first CO2 capture in the tanks on 1 May, and for the project to be ready for operation by 1 July.• The CO₂ capture at the cement factory is part of the Langskip project, which is Norway’s investment in carbon capture and storage.• The capture in Brevik will be sent by ship to Øygarden outside Bergen, where it will be unloaded onto tanks. The CO₂ is then transported in pipes 110 kilometers out into the North Sea, where it is stored 2,700 meters below the seabed.• The Langskip project has a price tag of NOK 30 billion, of which the state will cover NOK 20 billion of the bill. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. If you disregard oil and gas, the cement factory in Brevik in Telemark will be one of the world’s first large industrial projects where carbon capture and storage is used. The gigantic construction project has taken four years to realize. Many people have contributed to the work at the new facility in Brevik. Photo: Fredrik Pedersen / news Willing to make cement “greener” The cement industry currently emits 4-8 per cent of the world’s total CO₂ emissions. This amounts to more than twice as much as all air traffic in the world. At Heidelberg Materials in Brevik, the plan is to capture 400,000 tonnes of CO₂, which is roughly half of the factory’s annual emissions. This corresponds to around one year’s emissions from 200,000 fossil-fuel passenger cars. The facility is now complete, and testing will begin. The aim is to have the first CO2 capture in the tanks on 1 May, and for the project to be ready for operation by 1 July. On Monday, the milestone was marked outside the factory. Erik Langholm, one of several project managers. Photo: Fredrik Pedersen / news Erik Langholm believes that with this Norcem has prepared the factory for the future, by being able to supply what is called green cement. He represents SLB Capturi, the company that has delivered the technology in close collaboration with Aker Solutions. – It is good for the industry as a whole, but primarily it is good for the world. Now we are taking a tiny step forward, and showing that carbon capture technology can be used in the cement industry worldwide. Transported by ship to Western Norway Between 300 and 400 employees have put in over 1.2 million working hours in the project. 250 partners are on the team. 18 kilometers of pipes have been built, and around 2,500 valves have been installed. Tom Sakariassen, assembly manager from the local company Trosvik, is one of many who have concretely contributed with both experienced work skills and knowledge. Tom Sakariassen, assembly manager from Trosvik. Photo: Fredrik Pedersen / news He almost thinks it’s a little sad to see that the project is finally becoming a reality. – It has been a fantastic period for me. We have had a great time. There have been major challenges that we have solved, and it has gone well, he says proudly. The CO₂ capture at the cement factory is part of the Langskip project, which is Norway’s investment in carbon capture and storage. The catch in Brevik is to be sent by ship to Øygarden outside Bergen, where it is unloaded onto tankers. The CO₂ is then transported in pipes 110 kilometers out into the North Sea, where it is stored 2,700 meters below the seabed. Disagreement about the use of money However, capturing and storing CO₂ costs a lot of money. Langskip has a price tag of NOK 30 billion. The state will cover 20 billion of the bill. Not everyone is equally excited about that. Waste and wrong prioritisation, says Frp leader Sylvi Listhaug. She thinks the price tag is “beyond high”, and thinks the industry should foot the bill. – We have major deficiencies in care for the elderly and the health system. Then it is wrong to waste such large sums on gambling with taxpayers’ money, Listhaug believes. – There may well be more such facilities, but not with subsidies, says Sylvi Listhaug (Frp). Photo: David Skovly Energy Minister Aasland (Ap) strongly disagrees with the FRP. – They do not want to further develop the industry, and that means the death of the industry, he believes. Aasland believes that the partnership that has been seen in Brevik shows the first technological steps needed to create a full-scale capture facility, and that this is very decisive for how to think in the years to come. Terje Aasland, Minister of Oil and Energy. Photo: Fredrik Pedersen / news – If the CO2 is not captured, the costs of CO2 emissions will increase so much that the production will not be profitable in the end. That is why this project is so incredibly important. This secures jobs for the future. This is Longship Longship is the government’s investment in full-scale handling of CO₂ from industrial sources. This will be done through carbon capture and storage, also called CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage). The aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Two companies have been selected to participate: the Heidelberg Materials cement factory in Brevik (formerly Norcem) and Hafslund Oslo Celsio’s waste incineration plant at Klemetsrud. CO₂ will be captured, liquefied and transported by ship to an intermediate storage facility in Øygarden northwest of Bergen. It will then be pumped through pipes onto the shelf in the North Sea, where it will be stored 2,600 meters below the seabed. The facility in Brevik will be ready towards the end of 2024, in Oslo in 2029. The overall cost estimate is approximately NOK 30 billion. The state’s share is approximately NOK 20 billion. Source: regjeringen.no/news Published 02.12.2024, at 15.39
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