“The Carbon what?” you might be wondering. Let us quickly explain:

At our waste incineration plant at Klemetsrud, both residual household waste and commercial waste are incinerated. The heat generated by this process is used to produce district heating for Oslo.

The flue gas released from the plant has already been treated, but it still contains carbon dioxide (CO2). We are now building a carbon capture facility, and once it becomes operational in 2029, it will ensure that almost all CO2 from waste incineration is removed.

This means that Oslo’s greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by almost 20 percent!

This isn’t happening in many other places around the world, which is why we think Oslo deserves the title The Carbon Capture Capital of the World! Yes, it’s a bit of a mouthful. But we’ll give it a try:

So, what is carbon capture?

Carbon capture is a method of separating carbon dioxide (CO2) from a gas stream. Its purpose is to mitigate undesirable climate change by reducing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.

The waste incineration plant at Klemetsrud accounts for almost 20 percent of Oslo’s fossil CO2 emissions. For Oslo to achieve its climate targets, it is essential that we establish carbon capture at the plant. The carbon capture facility at Klemetsrud will be able to capture up to 350,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.

Frequently asked questions

What is carbon capture?
It is the technology that removes CO2 from flue gas before the emissions reach the atmosphere.

Why do we need to remove CO2 when it occurs naturally?
There is a difference between biogenic CO2 from natural sources and fossil CO2. When oil, gas or plastic is burned, carbon atoms that have been stored for millions of years are released. This is fossil CO2, which dramatically increases the overall level of CO2 in our atmosphere and leads to undesirable climate change.

How does carbon capture work?
CO2 is bound to a capture agent, released through heating, and compressed into a liquid for storage.

What is carbon capture used for?
To reduce emissions from industry and waste incineration.

What are the disadvantages of carbon capture?
The technology requires investment and energy and is still under development.

What is CCS?
CCS stands for Carbon Capture and Storage, which means capturing CO2 before it is emitted and storing it permanently underground or beneath the seabed.

What is the difference between carbon capture and CCS?
Carbon capture is the process of capturing CO2, while CCS includes both capture and storage.

Where is CO2 stored?
In secure geological formations deep underground or beneath the seabed. Read more about storage in the glossary entry on carbon storage.

Why do we need CCS?
Because some emissions cannot be eliminated in other ways. CCS delivers rapid, measurable emissions reductions.

Is CCS safe?
Yes. Storage takes place in stable reservoirs that naturally keep gases trapped for millions of years.