Carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) are necessary solutions in achieving climate targets. A new report highlights the critical role of infrastructure in developing its value chains. Shared infrastructure significantly reduces project-specific costs and is key to unlocking larger coverage of CO2 flows to be used within a broader industrial ecosystem focused in creating sustainable products and permanent carbon storage. 

Finland has excellent opportunities in capturing biogenic CO2 from the forestry and energy industries. Large point sources generate approximately 30 million tons of biogenic CO2 annually. 

– Plans for several carbon capture projects are already underway across the country. The latest announcement regarding carbon capture and storage was made last week. Finland is far from European CO2 storage sites and future CO2 markets, so leveraging shared logistics solutions is especially important for us in terms of investment decisions and the development of the entire industrial ecosystem, says Sector Manager Erika Laajalahti from The Bioenergy Association of Finland. 

A recent report by VTT Technical Research Center of Finland examines the potential of CO2 logistics to advance the value chains of capture, utilisation and storage. CO2 infrastructure includes necessary interim storage facilities for CO2 inland and along the coast, as well as transportation via pipelines, railways, or trucks. In the permanent storage value chain, transport to the final destination is done by ship. The significance of infrastructure is emphasised in projects where CO2 cannot be utilised or stored near the capture site. The report identified nine regional CO2 hubs that could share common infrastructure, with an annual carbon capture capacity of approximately 25.2 million tons of CO2. Based on these CO2 hubs, three different scenarios for the infrastructure and logistics needs of carbon capture, utilization, and storage by 2040 have been developed. 

– Sharing common infrastructure would reduce project costs by an average of 30 % and simultaneously enable more projects to participate in carbon capture, utilisation, or storage. There are significant opportunities in utilising existing infrastructure. The use of the current railway network for CO2 transport seems to be a cost-efficient option. Pipeline transport is a cheaper alternative for shorter distances when capacity is high enough, says Lauri Kujanpää, Research Team Leader from VTT. 

The investment costs for infrastructure across the entire system in the scenarios range from EUR 3.7 to 4.7 billion, with the lowest costs in a scenario focused on utilisation, where the need for transportation is smaller. The report emphasises that Finland’s potential for biogenic CO2 capture is significantly greater than the needs of the planned CO2 utilization projects and the storage potential via mineralization. Therefore, the amount of CO2 does not limit the significant scaling of utilization and storage value chains. 

The Bioenergy Association of Finland has commissioned the study from VTT on the infrastructure and logistics required for carbon dioxide utilisation and storage pathways. The study has been conducted during 2024. The study is funded by Gasgrid Vetyverkot (Hydrogen Grids), Finnsementti, Fortum Power and Heat, Helen, Keravan Energia, Oulun Energia, Tampereen Energia and Vantaan Energia. 

Summary report: Outlook of CO2 logistics in Finland for CCUS 

More information:  
Erika Laajalahti, Sector Manager (carbon removal & CCUS), Bioenergy Association of Finland, tel. +358 44 753 0700, erika.laajalahti@bioenergia.fi 
Lauri Kujanpää, Research Team Leader, VTT Technical Research Center of Finland, tel. +358 50 542 7493, lauri.kujanpaa@vtt.fi