The European Commission announced that Europe’s largest commercial carbon capture and storage (CCS) project has begun operations at Yara’s Sluiskil facility in the Dutch province of Zeeland.
Under the project, which began operations on September 7, up to 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year generated from ammonia production at Yara’s ammonia and fertilizer plant in Sluiskil is expected to be captured and liquefied.
The CO₂ captured at the facility will be transported by ship to Norway and permanently stored at the Northern Lights facility beneath the North Sea.
The Northern Lights facility receives financial support under the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) program.
The European Commission stated that the cross-border project is one of the direct outcomes of the EU-Norway Green Alliance signed in 2023. Combining private investment with public support, the project is being implemented through cooperation between the EU, its member states, Norway and industry.
Around 12 million tonnes of CO₂ to be captured over 15 years
Approximately 12 million tonnes of CO₂ are expected to be captured and permanently stored from the Yara Sluiskil facility over the next 15 years.
The European Commission stated that the project will contribute to reducing emissions from energy-intensive sectors such as fertilizer and ammonia production while supporting the development of carbon capture and storage technologies in Europe.
The opening ceremony was attended by European Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth Wopke Hoekstra, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, and Yara International President and CEO Svein Tore Holsether.
Commenting on the project, Hoekstra said Europe needs practical climate solutions that reduce emissions while supporting industrial competitiveness, adding that the Sluiskil project demonstrates what innovation and cross-border cooperation can achieve together.
