Norway’s Northern Lights turns CCS into reality
Published 15 Mar 2023 (updated 19 Feb 2026) · 4 min read
When Northern Lights CO₂ transport and storage was first conceived as part of Longship – Norway’s full-scale carbon capture and storage project – it was an ambitious bet on Europe’s future ability to cut emissions.
Today, that future has arrived.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) can soon become one of the world’s most The world’s first open-access CO₂ transport and storage network is operational, moving CO₂ from industrial sites in Europe to secure geological storage beneath the North Sea. The transformation from pioneering vision to working infrastructure marks a turning point: Europe now has a functioning, commercial carbon capture and storage (CCS) CCS value chain.
“We’re talking about building an entirely new ecosystem with industrial actors who are not used to working together. We have to create a market at the same time as we develop our business model,” explained former project director Sverre Overå back in 2021.
This is exactly what has happened.
Editor’s note: Sverre Overå left his position at Northern Lights in 2024 and is now retired.
A new phase: Northern Lights goes live
Developed by Equinor, Shell and TotalEnergies, Northern Lights became operational in 2025, with the first CO₂ volumes successfully injected and stored in August that year. The full system is now running: ships, the onshore terminal at Øygarden, pipelines and offshore wells all form a seamless logistics chain transporting and storing CO₂ from Norwegian industrial sources, with Denmark and the Netherlands added from 2026.
By moving from construction to operations, Northern Lights has shifted from being an early‑stage demonstration to a full commercial service. Norway’s strategy is clear: build the infrastructure first, then scale it as the market expands.
A scalable CCS system for Europe
The vision remains the same as when construction began: a network of CO₂ tankers transporting liquefied CO₂ from industrial sites to Øygarden on Norway’s western coast, where emissions are conditioned and piped offshore for permanent storage more than 2 600 metres below the seabed.
“The solution is flexible enough to receive CO₂ from capture sites all over Europe,” Overå explained.
Northern Lights is designed for expansion. Phase 1 has a capacity of 1.5 million metric tons of CO₂ per year, which is already fully booked. The Norwegian Government approved the development plan for Phase 2 in 2025, with a final investment decision confirming a capacity increase to at least 5 million metric tons annually by 2028. This shift from ambition to committed infrastructure is central to accelerating Europe’s decarbonisation.
In other words: Europe now has a place to put the CO₂ it captures –and Norway has built it.
An expanding customer base for CO₂ transport and storage
Northern Lights’ first commercial contract with the Danish company Ørsted in 2023, for cross-border transport and storage of 430 000 metric tons of biogenic CO₂ annually, was a milestone. It was soon followed by agreements with Yara for transport and storage of 800 000 metric tons annually of captured and liquefied CO₂ from its flagship ammonia and fertiliser plant in Sluiskil, the Netherlands, and, crucially, with Stockholm Exergi for cross-border transport and storage of up to 900 000 metric tons of biogenic CO₂ annually. The contract with Stockholm Exergi helped to trigger the Phase 2 expansion decision.
Northern Lights is no longer just a catalyst for market creation; it is now a fully fledged commercial operator with long-term commitments from industry across Europe.
A cornerstone of Longship and Europe’s climate strategy
CCS remains essential for sectors where emissions cannot be fully eliminated, such as cement, steel and waste incineration. Norway recognised this early on, investing in a complete value chain through Longship – including carbon capture facilities at Heidelberg Materials’ cement plant in Brevik, which went into operation in 2025, and Hafslund Celsio’s waste-to-energy plant in Oslo, which is under construction.
“Carbon capture is not an alternative to electrification and the transition to renewable energy sources, but rather a tool to remove emissions from sectors that are very difficult to decarbonise.”
Sverre Overå
Former project director at Northern Lights
“Carbon capture is not an alternative to electrification and the transition to renewable energy sources, but rather a tool to remove emissions from sectors that are very difficult to decarbonise,” Overå pointed out.
With the full chain now operational, Europe has a reliable, scalable, commercial storage solution – a critical precondition for wider adoption of CCS across the continent.
A dependable partner for global decarbonisation
Northern Lights’ progress strengthens Norway’s position as a trusted and high‑quality partner for companies seeking reliable climate solutions. By building an infrastructure that works today and grows with Europe’s needs, Norway is enabling industries to act now rather than wait for future technologies
The EU’s climate targets depend on removing millions of metric tons of CO₂ that cannot be avoided. Through Northern Lights, Norway provides exactly what Europe needs: a functioning, expandable system that is open to all emitters who want to cut their climate footprint.
As the market matures, more ships can be added, more wells drilled and additional storage capacity brought online – all rooted in Norway’s offshore, maritime and industrial expertise.
Norway has built the foundation. Europe now has the opportunity to scale it.
Norway delivers CCS solutions that are north of the ordinary
Longship and Northern Lights demonstrate that Norway offers more than ambition – it provides proven, operational and scalable CCS solutions that enable industries across Europe to decarbonise.
