CO₂-Hub Nordland

The project is based on the liability (“liability”) that an operator is imposed / assumes in connection with CO₂ storage during operation of a project and after frying until the transfer of responsibility for a storage site from an operator to the authorities.

The issue is based on the EU Storage Directive and derived national regulations and laws. The regulations have been announced as a “stop” for commercial CO₂ storage of the industry that may conceivably carry out CO₂ storage by imposing on it, among other things, a responsibility for any undesirable events associated with a warehouse for up to 25 years after closure. There is today very little experience with both the authorities and industry with both enforcement of the regulations and possibly methods and tools that can be used in the process.
This project has brought together all the process industry in Nordland and aimed to capture more than 1.2 million tonnes of CO₂ per year. This industry represents five significant industrial sectors in Norway; ferro-alloys, aluminum, lime, cement and steel, and has a total emission of more than 2.0 million tonnes of CO₂ per. year. A survey was made of all sources of CO₂ emissions and what opportunities there are for capturing CO₂ from the exhaust gas in the eight companies. There is a large spread in CO₂ concentration between the partners, from less than 3% to more than 20% CO₂. Some of the sources have low concentrations, and are challenging to capture based on the range of near-commercial technologies.

A survey of possible capture technologies has been carried out. Two of these have been looked at more closely on the basis of an assessment of the following criteria: maturity, potential, integration possibilities, optimal operation and energy utilization for industrial and CO₂ capture plants combined. The design of capture facilities for the amine technology and membranes has been completed, depending on an assessment of the suitability for the individual technology at the various locations.

For each plant, an assessment has been made of any pre-treatment of the exhaust gas before the capture plant, possibilities for access and use of surplus heat, and the need for concentrating the CO₂ content in the exhaust gas.

An assessment has been made of the available area for both capture facilities and intermediate storage at each location. All locations are adjacent to or close to the industrial quay. In addition, a cost calculation has been carried out of various sailing alternatives for transporting CO₂ to Kollsnes for permanent storage (the Northern Lights project).

Energy and cooling water requirements are calculated for each capture facility. Finally, a cost calculation has been carried out which includes CAPEX and OPEX for capture plants, liquefaction plants and intermediate storage based on the proposed design for each location. In Rana, calculations have also been made for the construction and operation of a joint capture facility for 2-3 companies.

Of the 2.1 million tonnes of CO₂ emitted by the partner companies, the project has shown that it may be possible to capture more than 1.5 million tonnes.

Because the project contains a wide range of qualities of the exhaust gas as well as varying CO₂ concentrations and size of the plants based on the total amount of CO₂ emissions per. year, this has given the partners a useful tool for decision support as well as recommendations for the next phase of the project on the way to the goal of establishing full-scale facilities.