For the technology to have any effect, a full-scale plant must be built a week over the next few years, according to DNV GL. There is not a single one in the EU today. In North America only two.
Although Norway has separated carbon dioxide from natural gas for two decades, the first CCS plant for, among other things, the cement industry and bioenergy plants, which is currently planned in Norway, is several years away. So far, there have only been test facilities.
"Great mountain to climb"- This is a big mountain to climb over, says Kåre Helle.
According to Kåre Helle, the reason why things are so slow is simple. The price for the industry to release carbon dioxide straight into the air is so much lower than the cost of CCS technology.
In the EU, the price for an allowance today is around 24 euros per tonne of carbon dioxide. CCS technology is initially estimated to cost between 100 and 200 euros per tonne. That is at least four times as much.
- Society has not done enough to tighten that screw hard enough, says Kåre Helle.