Norway has officially begun injecting carbon dioxide into underground storage as part of the Northern Lights carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiative, marking a pivotal moment for global climate mitigation efforts.

On Monday, project partners Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies confirmed that the first volumes of CO₂ have been safely stored in a geological formation located 2,600 meters beneath the North Sea seabed. The announcement is being hailed as proof that industrial-scale carbon capture, transport, and permanent storage is both technically feasible and commercially viable.

“This milestone proves that carbon capture and storage can be scaled up as a functioning industry,” said Equinor CEO Anders Opedal.

A Global Test Case for CCS

The Northern Lights project forms a key part of Norway’s Longship CCS program, a state-backed effort designed to accelerate emissions reduction technologies in hard-to-decarbonize sectors. These include cement, chemicals, and steel industries where fossil fuel inputs are currently difficult to eliminate.

The first shipment of CO₂ came from the Brevik cement plant operated by Heidelberg Materials, one of Europe’s largest producers of building materials. From there, carbon was transported by ship to an onshore terminal, stored temporarily, and then piped 100 kilometers out to sea, where it was injected into deep rock formations for permanent storage.

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Completion of Phase 1

The start of injection operations marks the completion of Phase 1 of Northern Lights, which is expected to handle 1.5 million metric tons of CO₂ annually a total of 37.5 million tons over the next 25 years. The storage capacity is already fully booked, reflecting strong industry demand for low-carbon solutions.

Looking ahead, the project's three partners have announced an additional investment of 7.5 billion Norwegian crowns (approximately $744 million) to launch Phase 2, which would increase annual storage capacity by an additional 3.5 million tons of CO₂.

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Implications for the Future

The Northern Lights project has the potential to become a cornerstone of European climate strategy, particularly as nations struggle to meet their net-zero goals. With industrial emissions accounting for a major share of global carbon output, CCS offers a pathway to decarbonize without shutting down entire sectors.

Beyond Norway, the project’s success is likely to influence global discussions around carbon pricing, cross-border CO₂ transport regulations, and the viability of carbon storage hubs in coastal geographies.

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