Yara International has officially commenced operations at its Sluiskil facility in the Zeeland province of the Netherlands, launching Europe’s largest commercial carbon capture and storage (CCS) project and establishing the continent’s first complete cross-border CCS value chain.
The industrial ammonia and fertiliser facility will capture and liquefy up to 800,000 tonnes of CO2 annually from its production processes, enabling the plant to avoid carbon taxation on these volumes. The captured CO2 will be transported by ship to Øygarden, Norway, where it will be permanently stored 2,600 metres beneath the seabed by Northern Lights. Supported by EU funding under the Connecting Europe Facility, the project is expected to capture and store roughly 12 million tonnes of CO2 over a 15-year operational lifecycle.
Key operational milestones and structural details include:
- Liquefaction & Transport: The Sluiskil plant will liquefy and temporarily store CO2 on-site before Northern Lights vessels transport the volume to Norway for permanent geological sequestration.
- Low-Carbon Value Chains: The project enables Yara to reduce the carbon footprint of its output, supporting low-carbon fertilisers for food production, low-carbon industrial ammonia, and clean fuels for the maritime sector.
- Cross-Border Policy Alignment: The project represents an operational output of the 2023 EU-Norway Green Alliance, combining private sector investment with public policy mechanisms to support energy-intensive industries.
The official inauguration ceremony was attended by EU Commissioner for Climate, Net-Zero and Clean Growth Wopke Hoekstra, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, and Yara International President and Chief Executive Officer Svein Tore Holsether.
Svein Tore Holsether, President and CEO of Yara International, stated: “This is an important day for Yara and for European industry. 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.”
Tim Heijn, Managing Director of Northern Lights, added: “This is a milestone we have been looking forward to. 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.”
Wopke Hoekstra, European Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, noted: “Europe needs practical climate solutions that deliver real emissions reductions while strengthening industrial competitiveness. 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.”
