ARC and CMP continue to have high ambitions for carbon capture at Amager Bakke, despite rejection from the EU

The EU Innovation Fund has recently identified the projects that will receive a part of €1 billion which will be handed out to innovative projects within the green transition. In a strong field, the application filed by ARC and CMP for financial support for CO₂ capture at Amager Bakke has not received a share of the funds to be granted. The project received praise along the way, which is why ARC and CMP are evaluating to reapply when €1.5 billion is to be disbursed in 2022.

ARC and CMP have the ambition to capture CO₂ from the flue gas at Amager Bakke. With CO₂ capture, it is possible to spare the atmosphere approximately 500,000 tons of CO₂ emissions annually. This is a vitally important piece in the green transition for Denmark, and the CO₂ reduction would be equivalent to replacing 250,000 petrol cars on Danish roads with electric cars.

The project received many words of praise along the way from the EU Innovation Fund, but unfortunately it does not receive financial support this time:

“We have a really good project here at Amager Bakke, and we were hopeful in receiving financial support from the EU Innovation Fund. But in this regard, we must see ourselves as being overtaken by other projects in a very strong field,” notes CEO of ARC, Jacob H. Simonsen, who continues:

“Now, we will catch our breath and reflect from here. All in all, this climate project is far too important for us to simply stop. One possibility is therefore to reapply for funding in 2022, where the total amount of money will even be increased to €1.5 billion. Another possibility is that the Danish Parliament now steps up, and provides support for the desired development.”

Political action is needed now

Carbon capture and storage has been identified as one of many tools needed if we are to remain committed to the Paris Agreement goal to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5°C.

Therefore, ARC will also continue its work with carbon capture, where already today, with funding from EUDP, we are capturing approx. 850 kg of CO₂ per day from the combustion exhaust gas. This is done in collaboration with DTU, Pentair and Rambøll, and the next step is to build a pilot project plant that can capture 4,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. The work helps to mature the technology so that CO₂ can be captured most cost-effectively.

“We are at the forefront with carbon capture at Amager Bakke. And irrespective of whether or not we receive EU funding, this project is very important for the green transition in Denmark. That’s why we look forward to a Danish carbon capture strategy from the Danish Parliament that will to a much greater extent establish the foundation for us to capture large amounts of CO₂,” says Jacob H. Simonsen.

An important future hub on Prøvestenen

When large Danish emitters are to capture CO₂ within the coming years, it is crucial to have an infrastructure that can transport the CO₂ further on. In this regard, CMP’s terminal on Prøvestenen in Copenhagen can become a central hub:

“We stand ready behind the scenes to tie the carbon capture and storage value chain together. As a port, we are a crucial hub for transporting large amounts of CO₂further for underground storage or for the production of green fuels,” comments CMP’s CEO, Barbara Scheel Agersnap, and continues:

“The partnership with ARC is a clear example of how we as a port can contribute to the green transition via new ways of thinking about our business. With a clear aspiration to become one of the most sustainable ports in the world, this is a crucial project that can lay the foundation for Prøvestenen to become a focal point for green and innovative solutions in the future. Therefore, we will continue to work closely to ensure that the project is realised – so that the great potential of CO₂ capture can be unleashed.”

For additional information, please contact

Sune Martin Scheibye, Press Officer, ARC. Telephone: +45 2460-0222

Ulrika Prytz Rugfelt, PR & Corporate Communications Manager, Copenhagen Malmö Port AB. E-mail: ulrika.prytz@cmport.com, Telephone: +46 (0)70 252 00 98.

For further information about the project

• See the 90 Second Explainer, via this link.
• A 90 Second Explainer about the technique behind CO₂ capture, via this link.
• Theme page on Carbon Capture at ARC via this link.

Facts about ARC

• ARC receives waste from approximately 640,000 inhabitants and 68,000 businesses in the Copenhagen metropolitan area
• From 2025, ARC will be able to collect 500,000 tons of CO₂ per year if the project is realised.
• ARC is jointly owned by Dragør Municipality, Frederiksberg Municipality, Hvidovre Municipality, the City of Copenhagen, and Tårnby Municipality.

Facts about CMP

• CMP is a Danish-Swedish port operator, running the port in Copenhagen and Malmö under the status of “Core Port” in the EU.
• Each year, approx. 5,200 ships call CMPs terminals, which cover a broad range of business areas.
• CMP has been handling approximately 15 million tonnes of cargo and more than 1 million cruise passengers annually, making CMP one of the largest cruise ports in northern Europe.