CEF Energy supported projects at the core of the PCI Energy Days

On 4 and 5 November, stakeholders of the energy infrastructure sector gather in Brussels to celebrate the 5^th edition of the PCI Energy Days. The event features a policy conference focusing on the critical aspects of speeding up large-scale energy infrastructure, notably cross-border cooperation practices, permitting experiences, attracting finance, addressing procurement challenges and seizing opportunities for a collaborative approach to plan and modernise the energy infrastructure needed to meet the EU’s 2030 climate and energy targets. 

Another key component of the event is the PCI Garden, an exhibition where project promoters have the opportunity to showcase their projects in an effort to provide the audience with a snapshot of the successful track record of the EU’s energy infrastructure policy in the past decade. This year, 36 stands are present, showcasing the work of 57 Projects of Common Interest, all included in the 1^st PCI/PMI list. 

Five CO₂ projects celebrate their grant agreements 

On 4 November, in the context of the event, Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson and CINEA’s Director Paloma Aba-Garrote hosted a ceremony to mark the signature of five grant agreements under the Connecting Europe Facility for Energy with representatives of the awarded CO₂ networks projects.

The selected projects will contribute to the construction and development of an EU-wide CO₂ infrastructure for the transport and storage of CO₂ to connect multiple carbon dioxide sources and storage sites via common infrastructure: 

• Northern Lights: the project has received a EUR 131 million grant to implement works to expand from 1.5 Mtpa to over 5 Mtpa the CO₂ storage capacity of the Northern Lights Initiative, which is developing infrastructure for handling and storage CO₂ from EU emitters into the Norwegian continental shelf. CEF funding will cover works for the expansion of storage infrastructure, including onshore (intermediate storage tanks, pumps, jetty) and offshore facilities (pipeline, umbilical, and underwater structures).
• CO2next: the project aims to develop, build and operate a hub terminal in the Port of Rotterdam for the reception, temporary storage and transit of liquid CO₂, as a first step to establish an open-access, non-discriminatory value chain network for the transport and storage of CO₂ in the area. The EUR 33 million of CEF funding will contribute to the development of an import terminal with a total capacity of 5.4 Mtpa, a CO₂ storage facility for 48,000 m³ of buffer storage capacity, and the pipeline infrastructure required for transporting CO₂ from the jetties to the storage tank and further export. 
• Aramis: awarded with EUR 124 million under CEF Energy, Aramis will set up a CCUS infrastructure from emitters in hard-to-abate industrial sectors in Northwest Europe to stores in the Dutch continental shelf. The goal is to establish an open-access, non-discriminatory transport, and storage value chain for both liquid and gaseous CO₂, which will enable emitters from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France to get access to CO₂ transport and storage services aiming to be ready by 2028.
• D'Artagnan: Dunkirk CO2 Hub: the project aims at implementing a first-of-its-kind open-access infrastructure in France for the transport, liquefaction, and export via shipping of CO₂, captured from hard-to-abate industries in Dunkirk and its hinterland. The over EUR 161 million of CEF funding will help implementing the Phase I of the project, aiming at building open-access infrastructure, such as a CO₂ underground pipeline of 37 km, and a CO₂ export terminal in the Dunkirk harbour including also intermediate storages, ship loading facilities and a new jetty dedicated to liquid CO₂ ships.
• Studies4CCS Interconnector: The project is a pioneer action for the preparation of studies to develop an open access multi-modal liquid CO₂ import-export terminal in Gdańsk (Poland), with related CO₂ transport infrastructure from the facilities of industrial emitters to the pan-European CCS network. The terminal will bring a new and significant impetus to reinforce and densify the EU CO₂ transport and storage network in Eastern Europe. CEF Energy supports the project with EUR 2.5 million to develop studies related to the design, feasibility and cost of building the infrastructure.

Paloma Aba-Garrote, Director of CINEA, said: 

Congratulations to the five projects selected by CEF Energy to support the transport of nearly 35 million tonnes of CO₂ per year from industrial emitters towards permanent geological storage. This represents an impressive contribution to the EU’s overall target of 50 million tonnes of annual CO2 injection capacity as set out in the Net Zero Industry Act. Moreover, these projects will make significant impact in the development of trans-European networks of CO2 transport.