Norway is looking to start absorbing world pollution and, as such, has launched Phase 2 of the world’s cross-border CO₂ storage site, making sure that this storage site is able to absorb about 5,000,000 tons of carbon every year. With the storage site located 8,530 feet (approximately 2,600 meters) below the seabed in the North Sea, this project is altering how we store carbon globally. Norway seems to be taking the lead in terms of carbon capture and storage (CCS), making sure that pollution gets stored under the sea more permanently.

Recap of the initial phase of Northern Lights

This initiative is part of Longship, Norway’s government-backed CCS program. Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies are responsible for spearheading the Northern Lights Joint Venture (JV) that is set on large-scale carbon storage. Back in 2025, the initial phase of the Northern Lights project was completed, in which CO₂ was injected 1,6 miles beneath the seabed. This CO₂ was further shipped from Heidelberg Materials’ cement plant in Brevik and carried via a 100-kilometer (62-mile) subsea pipeline to Øygarden, where it had been injected into an Aurora reservoir under the North Sea.

As per phase 1, 1,5 million tons of Care are aimed to be stored per year. From the initial phase, many industrial players, including Yara (Netherlands), Ørsted (Denmark), and Stockholm Exergi (Sweden), have signed on. The facility’s successful launch set the groundwork for industrial-scale carbon handling. Tim Heijn, Managing Director of Northern Lights JV, said that thus far, the reservoir is functioning well.

Looking at Phase 2 of CCS expansion

The Phase 2 project is set to support an increase in CO₂ capacity, which reaches 5 million tons per year by 2028. This marks a transformative escalation in CCS potential. The initiative is backed by a $153 million grant from the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility for Energy (CEF Energy).

On the cards for this expansion phase are:

Additional onshore tanks and high-capacity pumps
New CO₂ injection wells
A second jetty for all incoming ships
Liquified CO₂ transport vessels

Also, all additional volume is intended to support new emitters to enable the Northern Lights to absorb carbon from the industries throughout Northern and central Europe. Norway, as such, is providing a core piece of infrastructure for European decarbonization. This surely is a win in terms of the European climate mission.

Understanding the importance of this operational tool

The focus on carbon capture and storage turns into an operational tool offering industries a lucrative way to reduce emissions, including those from cement, steel, and chemicals. Northern Lights is surely ensuring that it delivers on the promise to ensure carbon capture and storage at a large scale.

With the new phase for the CCS industry in Europe, the project is one that will ensure copycat infrastructure is provided across the continent. As such, similar developments seem to be underway in Denmark, the Netherlands, and the U.K.

The CO₂ injected under the North Sea will then be locked away beneath impermeable rocks and will not resurface. Perhaps we are saying goodbye to pollution for good. While this project looks at CO₂ capture under the sea, New York is willing to invest $1 billion to produce energy over water to ensure the future of America.

A climate solution for the future is found in the deep sea

The 2,600 deep storage site is now fully underway with Phase 2 accelerating towards the 5 million capacity. Norway is taking over Europe’s pollution, looking to geology to assist with this. The Northern Light project is ensuring that an urgent matter is taken care of, and in turn, humanity is set to rise. It is exciting to note that while this is the first CO₂ storage program in the Northern Lights area, the world is also looking forward to buildings that will absorb CO₂ from the air with a tycoon making the ultimate building material.

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