Norway to lead Europe-wide CO2 laboratory initiative

The European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures has announced the launch of the Norwegian CO2 laboratory initiative. Out of a funding total of €81 million,  €23 million will be used to build five CO2 laboratories at NTNU (the Norwegian University of Science and Technology)/SINTEF in Trondheim, Norway.

It is expected that the host nation, Norway, will fund 30 to 50 per cent of the total cost of the project, with the remaining costs split between the eight other EU and EAA  (Economic Association Agreement) nations cooperating in the project.

The initiative aims to optimise CO2 capture and storage technology through a Europe-wide collaboration involving Norway, Germany, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Hungary, Poland, Croatia and Denmark.

Arne Bredesen, of NTNU, and Nils Røkke, of SINTEF, commented: “The laboratories will play a decisive role in ensuring that the world will be able to put into operation efficient technology for the capture, transportation and storage of CO2 from coal- and gas-fuelled power stations and industrial plants.” The €23 million allocated to Norway will fund the creation of five laboratories in Trondheim :

• An absorption laboratory (technology for scrubbing CO2 from flue-gases with the aid of chemicals) worth €8 million

• A materials and process technology laboratory worth €4 million

• A combustion technology laboratory worth €4 million

• A storage technology laboratory worth €4 million

• A refrigeration laboratory (technology for separating CO2 out of gas mixtures by freezing) worth €3 million.

Each participating nation will fund the creation new CO2 laboratories that will be available to scientists from all EU and EEA countries, by applying to their national authorities and EU Framework Programmes.