Microsoft wants to enter Norwegian CO₂ capture and storage – VG

The letter of intent signed today seeks to analyze the possibilities in the Northern Lights transportation and storage project.

Northern Lights is a collaboration between Equinor, Shell and Total, and part of the Norwegian CO₂ capture and storage project called ‘Longship’. The project transports CO₂ from the Brevik plant and is stored under the North Sea.

Microsoft has a goal of becoming carbon negative by 2030.

Therefore, the company is exploring various possibilities to achieve this goal and is now considering the Northern Lights project in Norway, states the Ministry of Oil and Energy in a press release.

– Langskip is the largest climate project in Norwegian industry to date, and a large and important technology project. We believe it is an effective way for Norway to help reduce long-term greenhouse gas emissions at the lowest possible cost. Today’s signature shows the broad industry commitment to CO₂ management, says Prime Minister Erna Solberg.

Will look at the possibilities

Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Oil and Energy Minister Tina Bru were present when the deal was signed in Oslo on Wednesday, along with top executives from Microsoft, Equinor, Shell and Total.

– What Microsoft says is that they will help see if there is more technology that can be incorporated into the project, says the Minister of Oil and Energy Tina Bru (H) to VGTV at the press conference.

– What specifically should Microsoft contribute?

“Technology and synergies will also help reduce costs, which we depend on to achieve global climate goals and preserve jobs,” the minister said.

Tina Bru says she has good faith that the letter of intent will result in an agreement.

– The fact that the company has senior managers shows that they have faith in the project on a global scale.

The government believes that the capture and storage of CO₂ is a necessary climate measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, without slowing down development.

– CO₂ management is an important climate measure. This collaboration between Microsoft and Equinor on the Northern Lights project demonstrates a joint commitment and aims to provide technology development and cost reduction. This is necessary for Langskip and the global deployment of CO₂ capture and storage to be a success, says Oil and Energy Minister Tina Bru.

Bellona-Hauge: – Fantastic

– It’s fantastic fun. The government recently decided to bet on CO₂ capture and storage in Norway, says Bellona leader Frederic Hauge.

-He believes that Norway should be the spearhead of a coalition of countries, industrial players and investors that want to use CO2 capture and storage immediately.

– Bellona has worked significantly to provide a customer base for Northern Lights to have more CO₂ suppliers, says Hauge, who is deputy director of the European Commission’s technology platform and experts for CO2 capture and storage.

– It is gratifying that Microsoft has said that it wants to offset its historic CO2 emissions. We cannot solve climate problems without those attitudes. That companies are willing to pay for negative emissions is a breakthrough for our thinking. Now it is guaranteed that there will be several major international players that will invest in this. It’s a great signal effect that Norway brings Microsoft onto the team, says Hauge.

Capturing CO2 for the energy recovery plant at Klemetsrud in Oslo can remove hundreds of thousands of tons of CO2 from biomass each year, according to Bellona.

– What’s in a letter of intent?

– They are now entering into real negotiations to find business models.

Hauge believes that long-term development can create tens of thousands of jobs in Norway, by storing CO₂ for international customers.

– This can be done through, for example, certificates or fees. Or, for example, that everything Microsoft uses from aluminum can be delivered from a plant in Norway with carbon capture and storage.

Equinor and Microsoft have agreed this:

• Explore a technology collaboration to integrate Microsoft’s digital experience into the Northern Lights project.
• Microsoft will explore the use of Northern Lights CO₂ storage and transportation facilities as part of its portfolio for CO₂ reduction, transportation and storage projects.
• Explore ways for Microsoft to invest in the effective development of Northern Lights
• Explore and establish an approach to elevate CCS’s role in achieving Europe’s climate goals.