Oslo, March 27 (IANS) Norway and Belgium signed an agreement aimed at facilitating infrastructure for the transport of carbon dioxide (CO2) by pipeline from Belgium to the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
According to a press release issued by the Norwegian government, the agreement to advance carbon capture and storage (CCS) was signed on Thursday at the Norwegian Petroleum Museum in Stavanger and is part of Europe’s climate efforts.
International energy company Equinor and Belgium-headquartered infrastructure group Fluxys will jointly develop the infrastructure to transport CO2 from Belgium to a storage location on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The project plans to include the pipeline for cross-border CO2 transportation and a land-based terminal in Belgium to receive CO2 from several industrial sources in Europe.
Norwegian Minister of Energy Terje Aasland said the agreement strengthens the foundation for a European CO2 value chain and marks an important milestone in the two countries’ long-standing energy cooperation, Xinhua news agency reported.
He said Norway has more than 30 years of experience with safe offshore CO2 storage and is working with Belgium to help European industry reduce emissions cost-effectively and predictably.
Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Development Cooperation, Maxime Prevot, said the agreement would help support industrial decarbonisation and reflects the two countries’ shared commitment to climate ambition and future resilience.
“This agreement strengthens the foundations of Belgium’s and Europe’s industrial future. Cooperation with Norway on CO₂ transport supports industrial decarbonisation and reflects our shared commitment to climate ambition and future resilience,” he said.
Norway is the largest supplier of gas to the EU, providing roughly one-third of the Union’s imports. The energy systems of Norway and Belgium are already closely connected through the two gas export pipelines from Norway to Zeebrugge on the Belgian coast.
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