Europe’s Largest Carbon Capture Facility Officially Inaugurated

Europe’s largest industrial carbon capture facility was officially inaugurated in the Netherlands. The project at Yara’s plant in Sluiskil establishes the first complete cross-border value chain for capturing, transporting, and permanently storing CO₂ (CCS).

The inauguration was marked by the presence of Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, European Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero, and Clean Growth Wopke Hoekstra, and President and CEO of Yara International, Svein Tore Holsether.

“This is an important day for Yara and for European industry,” Holsether said. “The carbon capture facility in Sluiskil proves that large-scale industrial decarbonization is possible today. As global competition intensifies, Europe must find ways to cut emissions while keeping industry, jobs, and critical value chains in Europe. That is exactly what this project is about.”

Yara Sluiskil, Europe’s largest ammonia and fertilizer plant, is expecting to capture and liquefy up to 800,000 tons of CO₂ annually from ammonia production, thereby avoiding carbon taxation on these volumes. The CO₂ will be liquefied and temporarily stored at Yara Sluiskil before Northern Lights vessels transport it to Øygarden, Norway. The CO₂ then will be permanently stored 2600 m below the seabed by Northern Lights.

“This is a milestone we have been looking forward to,” said Tim Heijn, managing director of Northern Lights. “We are proud to start operations together with Yara and to see the agreement signed in 2023 become reality. Together, we are demonstrating that capture and cross-border CO₂ transport and storage is a viable solution for European industry. This is an important step in the development of Europe’s carbon management market and shows what is possible when industry and governments work together to build the infrastructure needed for Europe’s transition.”

With the right framework conditions in place, the project is expected to capture and store around 12 million tons of CO₂ over the next 15 years.

“Europe needs practical climate solutions that deliver real emissions reductions while strengthening industrial competitiveness,” Hoekstra said. “The carbon capture and storage project at Sluiskil shows what is possible when innovation and cross-border cooperation come together. This is exactly the kind of project Europe needs to combine climate ambition with a strong and resilient industrial base.”