Project ClimAid Copenhagen can make Copenhagen the first CO₂ neutral capital in the world by 2025 and has the potential for kick-starting a CCUS economy with European dimension and outreach.

ARC and Copenhagen Malmo Port (CMP) has just submitted an application for the EU Innovation Fund for a full-scale plant for CO₂ capture at Amager Bakke.

ARC plans to install a net-zero-additional energy demand carbon capture unit on its premises and capture 500.000 tonnes CO₂-/year from 2025, route the CO₂ via a short onshore pipeline to the nearby CMP terminal and sequester it through one of the world’s first commercial offtaker agreements. This will help bring Copenhagen significantly closer to the goal of becoming the world's first CO₂-neutral capital and safeguard the atmosphere from further climate impact.

“Copenhagen is on track to become the world’s first carbon neutral capital. But we are not quite there yet. Therefore it is vital, that we dare to experiment with new technologies and solutions, and ARC’s Carbon Capture project is a great example that will pave the way towards a green transition in Copenhagen and other cities around the world. I have high expectations for this project, and am proud to say that ARC and Copenhagen are on the forefront of the Carbon Capture technology”, says Lord Mayor of Copenhagen Lars Weiss (Social Democratic Party).

ClimAid Copenhagen

The project is called ClimAid Copenhagen and is dependent on the support of the EU Innovation Fund. It can be a truly European blueprint showcasing how to unite economic green growth with ambitious climate targets – at an attractive price.

"A project like the one we are applying for is completely in line with Copenhagen's and the rest of the climate ambitions of the European Union. The CO₂ capture is also in line with the recommendations of both the Paris Agreement and the IPCC. I therefore feel confident that we are on to a good thing with this project in relation to the regional, national and international green transition," says ARC's CEO Jacob H. Simonsen.

ClimAid Copenhagen can deliver CO₂-reductions at an attractive price – probably below EUR 100/ton CO₂ – with a very mature project in all of its dimensions. The project has the political backing of the City of Copenhagen and its owners and expects national regulation to develop favourably.

Scalability

Carbon Capture at ARC is a spearhead project which can show the way for all other European waste-to-energy plants who are connected to a district heating grid.

“As part of the project, we establish a brand new infrastructure for handling the captured CO₂ at a nearby port where it can be shipped to empty oil reservoirs. This infrastructure can most possibly be of use to other large CO₂-emitters in the Greater Copenhagen area. In this case, we look into a very large potential for CO₂ capture. And the potential goes further to all European waste-to-energy plants who are connected to a district heating grid. Therefore, I very much hope for the support of the EU Innovation Fund,” says Jacob H. Simonsen.

CMP is a vital partner with its nearby port.

“CMP is extremely excited to be part of this project, which has a colossal potential to contribute to reducing CO₂ emissions in Copenhagen. For CMP, this is an excellent example of how the port can play an active role in the green transition and be part of new pioneering climate technology, which can hopefully serve as inspiration for similar projects with CO₂ capture not only in Denmark but also abroad. Therefore, I hope that we get a positive response from the EU as a first step on the way to realising the project,” comments Barbara Scheel Agersnap, CEO, Copenhagen Malmö Port.

The road ahead

The project is expected to be ready by 2025 if the project is granted support from the EU Innovation Fund and the Danish government paves the way for the appropriate framework conditions.

For more information, please contact:

Sune Scheibye, Head of press, ARC, +45 2460 0222

Rikke Egelund, Head of press to the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen, +45 3147 9497

Ulrika Prytz Rugfelt, PR & Corporate Communications Manager, CMP, +46 (0)70 252 00 98, ulrika.prytz@cmport.com

FACTS

CO₂ capture at Amager Bakke

• ARC is already working on the establishment of a demonstration plant that will be able to remove 12 tonnes of CO₂ per day as of 2023
• Between 2023–2025, a full-scale plant, able to collect an annual 500,000 tonnes of CO₂ by 2025, will be constructed if the project conditions are met.
• ARC has submitted concept note to EU's Innovation Fund on October 29^th, 2020. This is the first step in the application process that ARC must go through in order to obtain support from the fund. A clarification is expected around the New Year.

About ARC

• ARC is a joint municipal company that deals with everything concerning waste. We send the good materials to be reused or recycled, while our waste energy plant at Amager Bakke produces electricity and heating from the residual materials that cannot be recycled
• ARC receives waste from 640,370 inhabitants and 68,000 companies in the metropolitan area and emits 560,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually
• ARC is owned by Dragør Municipality, Frederiksberg Municipality, Hvidovre Municipality, Copenhagen Municipality and Tårnby Municipality.

About Copenhagen Malmo Port

• CMP is a Danish-Swedish joint venture port operator that operates the ports of Copenhagen and Malmö under the status of “Core Port” in the EU
• Every year, some 5,200 ships call at CMP’s port, which cover a wide range of business areas
• CMP handles approx. 15 million tonnes of cargo and more than 1 million cruise passengers annually, making CMP one of the largest cruise ports in Northern Europe
• Copenhagen Malmö Port (CMP) will become a central party in storing and distributing the captured CO₂.