CO2VISION - carbon capture, utilization and storage in North Denmark
About this good practice
The North Denmark region is home to CO₂-emitting industries, such as cement production, combined heat and power plant, biogas production and waste incineration plant.
To reach the national Danish target of 70% carbon reduction in 2030, Green Hub Denmark initiated CO2VISION – a regional development project that drives the implementation of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) in North Denmark.
To ensure regional coverage, 8 test and demonstration sites were established, each addressing different aspects of CCUS. 3 of these sites specifically focused on the use of CO₂ in combination with hydrogen:
1) Aalborg: Producing methanol for heavy transport by combining hydrogen and CO₂.
2) Hobro: Transporting hydrogen and CO₂ through pipelines.
3) Hirtshals: Capturing CO₂ from biogas production and combining it with hydrogen to create synthetic e-fuels for maritime applications.
In addition to the test sites, the project established a network of CO₂-intensive industries and SMEs from across the CCUS value chain. It also included an analysis of the infrastructure required for CO₂ and hydrogen. Furthermore, the project assessed the potential of ports as temporary storage hubs for CO₂ to be used in on-site power-to-X fuel production.
CO2VISION connected 50+ partners. Main stakeholders including large industrial emitters (e.g., cement, waste and energy companies), municipal and regional authorities, ports, research institutions and SMEs – all within the North Denmark region.
Resources needed
CO2VISION received 10 mio. € from REACT-EU and resulted in private investments of the same amount (2.0 and NeXt had own funding). The project had 3 FTE on overall for project management, administration, communication and controlling, as well as percentages of personal costs for partners involved.
Evidence of success
The success lies in the concrete outputs supporting regional CCUS deployment: a CCUS Roadmap, 8 test sites, and 2 follow-up projects (2.0 and NeXt) that provided funding for additional sites on industrial and agricultural decarbonization in North Denmark. Operators on the Danish EU-REACT funds, The National Business Authority, conducted an independent evaluation that shows that 80% of the partners involved, agreed that CO2VISION had significantly strengthened the regional CCUS ecosystem.
Potential for learning or transfer
CO2Vision has replication potential across Europe and serves as a proven and scalable template for regions seeking to advance CCUS infrastructure through the development of a regional CCUS hub with strong public-private partnerships.
Its success is built on early partner engagement (both public and private), co-created roadmaps, and securing both EU programme funding and contributions from regional actors.
The model’s approach (roadmap development, governance structure, pilot project funding) makes it highly adaptable across regions aiming to decarbonise heavy industry.
Key factors for successful transfer include political support, industry participation, funding (eg. JTF) and alignment with national climate strategies. Challenges could arise in regions lacking technical expertise or funding access, but the concept is adaptable and responsive to local conditions.
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