Understanding CCS

What is Carbon Capture & Storage and why do we need it?

Carbon Capture & Storage

An essential tool for net zero

Carbon capture and storage involves the processes of capturing carbon dioxide - typically from industrial processes or from burning fossil fuels – and transporting and storing it permanently deep underground in geological formations such as depleted oil and gas reservoirs.

The technology behind CCS is well-proven and has been around for more than 40 years. It has traditionally been used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR).

Now, CCS is counted as one of the most effective ways to decarbonise, making it a vital technology on the road to global net zero. According to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), as the world transitions to a lower-carbon economy, global temperature changes cannot be kept at bay without capturing and storing CO2.

From 2040, the European Commission estimates that 250 million tonnes of CO₂ will need to be captured and stored annually to meet the EU's climate goals. We are still far from the target. Scaling the industry will require action by governments, investors, and industrial actors.

Momentum around CCS is growing and Greensand is helping accelerate change.

Access these sources to learn more about CCS:

FAQ

Carbon capture and storage involves the processes of capturing carbon dioxide - typically from industrial processes or from burning fossil fuels – and transporting and storing it permanently deep underground in geological formations such as depleted oil and reservoirs.

CCS is one of the few available technologies that can cut emissions from industries with no viable alternative. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change identifies carbon capture and storage as part of the portfolio of measures needed to reach net zero, alongside renewable energy, electrification and energy efficiency.

Europe's energy-intensive industries — cement, steel and chemicals — employ close to 8 million people and supply the materials the rest of the economy is built on. Their process emissions cannot be eliminated through electrification alone, and they face rising carbon costs and global competition. Without access to CO₂ storage, decarbonisation risks becoming a choice between cutting emissions and keeping industrial production in Europe.

The technology behind CCS is well-proven and has been around for more than 40 years. It has traditionally been used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Studies have shown that CO2 can be safely stored underground in geological formations for thousands and even millions of years.  

 Greensand will be storing CO2 in a suited geological reservoir in the North Sea. The collected Greensand storage facilities in the North Sea (the Siri fairway) are extremely stable reservoirs from a geological perspective. They have retained gas and oil for more than 10 million years, making them a very safe permanent storage site for CO2. The integrity of the reservoir has been tested by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), and Greensand has received safety approval from DNV-GL. 

 

We need to store as much CO2 as we can – as fast as we can. Right now, biogas production offers high volumes of CO2 that can be more easily captured compared to industrial fossil emission sources.

Rather than seeking to build the full long-term potential from day one, Greensand has taken a smaller but important step that we knew could be delivered safely and reliably. The significance is not only the initial volume. Greensand demonstrates a working and scalable concept and sends an important signal that we are ready to receive CO₂ from capture projects across Europe as they come online.

Storing CO2 in the subsurface can have an impact on the marine environment in the unlikely case of a leakage. However, the collected Greensand storage facilities in the North Sea (the Siri fairway) are extremely stable reservoirs from a geological perspective. They have retained gas and oil for more than 10 million years, making them a very safe permanent storage site for CO2. The integrity of the reservoir has been tested by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), and Greensand has received safety approval from DNV-GL. 

It’s not an either-or – we need to do both. According to IPCC, the International Energy Agency and the EU, there is no way to reach net zero emissions without capturing and storing CO2. While industries around the world are transitioning to lower-carbon business models, capturing and storing CO2 will be necessary to abate the emissions that can’t be avoided based on current knowledge and solutions.  

 

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