Ineos starts up EU’s first full-scale CO2 storage site

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day, reviewed by our editorial team. Read the full piece on ESG Today or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Ineos has officially opened Project Greensand in the Danish North Sea, described as the EU’s first full-scale permanent CO₂ storage facility
• The site will initially store up to 400,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually, with plans to scale to as much as 8 million tonnes per year

🔭 The context: Launched in 2021, Greensand captures CO₂ from Danish biomethane plants, transports it to Port Esbjerg and ships it offshore for injection into a depleted oil field about 1,800 metres beneath the seabed
• The project is part of the EU’s broader effort to expand carbon capture and storage infrastructure, with a target of at least 50 million tonnes of annual CO₂ injection capacity by 2030

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Permanent CO₂ storage can prevent captured emissions from reaching the atmosphere
• It could help address emissions from sectors that are difficult to decarbonise
• Its climate impact depends on the amount of CO₂ actually captured and permanently stored, as well as the wider emissions associated with the infrastructure and transport.

⏭️ What’s next: Greensand expects to expand from its initial 400,000-tonne capacity toward 4–8 million tonnes annually
• The EU is also targeting around 250 million tonnes of annual CO₂ capture and permanent storage by 2040, meaning substantial additional infrastructure would be required

💬 One quote: “Greensand proves it can be done. This is not a pilot project, a concept or a political ambition. It is a fully operational carbon transport and storage business.” — Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Ineos chairman

📈 One stat: 400,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year is the project's initial planned storage capacity

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