With the support of the State and the boost of public-private partnerships, **Norway inaugurated “Longship”**, one of the **most ambitious carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects in Europe**, designed to reduce emissions from high-complexity sectors such as the cement industry and the incineration of **[urban waste](https://noticiasambientales.com/residuos/espana-enfrenta-desafios-en-la-gestion-de-residuos-urbanos-por-la-baja-tasa-de-reciclaje-y-apuesta-por-el-biogas/)**.
Inspired by the Viking ships that crossed the seas in search of new horizons, Longship establishes an **integrated and large-scale model for CO₂ capture, transport, and storage**, aiming to consolidate Norway’s leadership in innovative climate solutions.
## Technology, infrastructure, and state funding
The system will start with **carbon capture at the Brevik cement plant**, in the southeast of the country, operated by **Heidelberg Materials**. It is estimated that around **400,000 tons of CO₂ emissions will be avoided annually**. By 2029, the **Hafslund Celsio plant near Oslo** will join, capturing an additional **350,000 tons** from waste incineration.
After liquefaction, the carbon dioxide will be:
1. **Transported by ship** to a coastal terminal in **Øygarden**, near Bergen.
2. **Injected through a submarine pipeline** into a **saline aquifer located 2,600 meters below the seabed**, 110 km off the coast.
This storage system is part of the **”Northern Lights” project**, developed by the oil companies **Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies**, whose facilities have been ready since 2023.
The Norwegian government will contribute **22,000 million Norwegian crowns (about 2.2 billion dollars)** out of an estimated total of **34,000 million crowns in the first decade**, demonstrating an unprecedented commitment to this technology.
## A strategic step in industrial decarbonization
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is highlighted by the **Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ([IPCC](https://www.ipcc.ch/languages-2/spanish/))** as a key solution for **hard-to-electrify sectors** such as cement, which accounts for approximately **7% of global CO₂ emissions**.
“It is a major step forward for CCS technology in Europe,” said the Norwegian Minister of Energy, **Terje Aasland**, during the inauguration.
## Challenges ahead: costs and competitiveness
While the project represents a **structural solution to [global warming](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/la-humanidad-tiene-solo-tres-anos-para-frenar-el-calentamiento-global-la-dura-advertencia-de-mas-de-60-cientificos/)**, its implementation remains **technologically complex and financially costly**. Currently, many companies choose to **purchase emission permits (ETS)** in the European market, which is cheaper than implementing a CCS system.
However, Longship aims to **change this logic**, demonstrating the **technical, climatic, and economic feasibility** of a more ambitious route that allows **decarbonization without relocating the industry**.
