Policy Article
Carbon Dioxide Storage: A Long-standing Favorite in Norway
In Germany, it is de facto forbidden to store captured carbon dioxide underground, and there is considerable skepticism about this technical possibility. At the same time, it is necessary for achieving the intended climate targets that no additional CO2 is released into the atmosphere from the middle of the century onwards. This is, however, for example not possible in cement and fertilizer production or waste incineration without using carbon capture and storage (CCS). To date, the Carbon Dioxide Storage Act (Kohlendioxid-Speichergesetz, KSpG) has blocked the further development of storage options. This could change with the second evaluation report of the act. Clarifications of the legal framework conditions for transporting and storing CO2 in Germany are expected, and the course could also be set for the export of captured carbon abroad, especially to the pioneering country of Norway, which is now almost decades ahead of Germany in the development of the technology and the support in politics and society.