Global warming and climate change have gotten scientists and researchers on their feet to find ways to get rid of CO2 (Carbon Dioxide), and this has resulted in some solutions, such as creating renewable energy sources such as solar and wind and even tapping into geothermal energy from regions with volcanic activities. However, getting to a place where the world is 100% free from CO2 might be possible but hard. Experts might have found another approach, but this one is different from the conventional solutions; rather, it involves constructing a more than 10-million-tonne CO2 storage capacity (CCS).
Europe is working on something to ensure that about 10 million tonnes of CO2 are to disappear. This will be done through its CCS project, leading the way to a better environment. TotalEnergies, the Norway branch, a European global energy-integrated company, is leading this project. In regions where industrial companies are exposed to a lot of CO2, this method can help them redefine what it means to maintain a green environment.
Europe’s climate change strategy is about to change. Say goodbye to CO2
The entire idea, concept and invention of TotalEnergies’ CO2 storage capacity (CCS) is simple: To get rid of Carbon Dioxide by capturing it. Under normal circumstances, CO2 is usually released into the atmosphere whenever gases, energies and so forth are burnt, and this varies, either due to production processes or other reasons. It is because of that that it has led to global warming today and we have environmental issues.
Therefore, a solution has been found and this is how it works: Emissions of CO2 are taken straight from industrial sources and delivered to safe subterranean storage facilities, preventing them from entering the atmosphere and causing global warming, which leads to abrupt weather conditions (such as high temperatures) and natural disasters.
The Northern Lights project is playing a significant role in reducing CO2 as much as possible. The good part of it is that other companies can also utilise this method, and if grasped globally, then we can foresee a carbon-free world in the upcoming years. The project started operating in September 2024, and that is when the company was able to receive and store CO2, according to TotalEnergies.
The Norwegian Consortium’s objective: Eliminating carbon dioxide and saving the planet
While the Northern Lights is based on in-land CO2 captures from industrial locations, The Norwegian Consortium’s objective is to do the same but to capture CO2 from ships. This project speaks volumes considering that the marine world has 3% of the total global emissions and because, as much as it is important to preserve land, marine life is as vital.
In a report by Cruise&Ferry, Natural gas producer Molgas Norway, research organisation SINTEF, and coastal cruise line Havila Voyages are all involved in the LNGameChanger project, which is spearheaded by marine technology provider HAV Group. At a press conference held aboard the Havila Voyages vessel Havila Capella when it was docked in Ålesund, Norway, the concept was unveiled. Once captured, CO2 will be transported to underground storage sites.
Is Carbon capture the answer we have been looking for this entire time?
Could this be the missing puzzle all along? Although scientists, geologists and experts have managed to come up with other renewable energy solutions to reduce or cut off CO2, there has still been an issue that some of the “green solutions” still produce unclean releases into the atmosphere, but in small amounts. Now that the Northern Lights and Norwegian consortium have both formed a CO2-capturing solution, it has made us wonder whether this is it—the end of CO2. It is still an emerging solution, one that researchers are still studying, but on the other hand, critics say burying CO2 does not address the root problem.