Full-Scale CO2 Capture Moves One Big Step Closer ARC

€120 million for a full-scale CO₂ capture facility is now almost within reach. ARC’s and CMP’s joint project has gone ahead in the elimination race for funds from the EU’s Innovation Fund.

Out of 311 projects from throughout the EU, ARC’s and CMP’s innovation project has been selected to be among the 70 project finalists that on 23 June 2021 will be sending in a main application to the EU’s Innovation Fund for funding.

“We are not there yet, but the announcement and recognition from the EU is a crucial and important step to move forward with large-scale CO₂ capture at ARC,” comments ARC CEO Jacob H Simonsen.

Will eliminate 500,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually

If ARC and CMP get a share of the financial support, the world-famous waste energy plant will become one big step closer to being able to remove 500,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually from emissions, and thus deliver massive climate improvements for Denmark. In addition, it will contribute to Copenhagen achieving its ambition to become the first CO₂ neutral capital in the world by 2025.

“If we succeed with this application, we will be one giant step closer to contributing tremendously to both Copenhagen’s and the Danish Government’s climate goals. However, it also requires national support, so we await with great interest the Danish Government’s national long-term strategy for CO₂ capture and storage, anticipated before the summer recess. With the proper decisions, Denmark can once again pull on the green jersey and serve as inspiration for the rest of the world with everything that potentially results from exporting Danish know-how,” observes Jacob H. Simonsen.

The project has the potential to create many green jobs, and the captured CO₂ will need to be stored and then sailed from CMP’s port on Prøvestenen to a storage facility underground.

“It is with great pleasure that we have received the news that we are one step closer to the realisation of a large-scale CO₂ capture facility that can significantly contribute to both local and national climate ambitions – and which additionally shows how the port can play an active role in the green transition. In this case with Prøvestenen serving as a platform for the shipping of the captured CO₂ and, in the long term, potentially also for utilisation elsewhere, for example in Power-to-X contexts and thus as a component for the development of green e-fuels in the transport sector,” remarks CMP’s CEO, Barbara Scheel Agersnap.

Thus the captured CO₂ can also be converted into green fuels and create green solutions for sectors that cannot immediately be electrified.

By the end of 2021, a decision will be reached about whether or not ARC and CMP will be receiving the million-dollar grant from the EU.

For additional information, please contact

Sune Martin Scheibye, Press Officer, ARC. Telephone: +45 24600222

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 Seconds Explainer via this link.
• Theme page on CO₂ 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 tonnes per year if the project’s assumptions are met.
• 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, operating the ports of Copenhagen and Malmö under the status of “Core Port” in the EU.
• Every year, some 5,200 ships call at CMP ports, which cover a broad range of business areas.
• CMP handle 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.