Brazil and Norway signed a memorandum of understanding at the beginning of the month during the CCS Tech Summit 2024. This agreement, between the Empresa de Pesquisa Energética (EPE) and Innovation Norway, the Norwegian government agency for fostering the development of international partnerships and businesses, aims to develop projects, innovative solutions, research, and financing methods for carbon capture and storage (CCS). The CCS Tech Summit took place in Rio de Janeiro and was promoted by CCS Brasil in partnership with Interlink Exhibitions.

Nathalia Weber, director of CCS Brasil, an association promoting Carbon Capture and Storage and responsible for organizing the CCS Tech Summit, highlights that the agreement is very positive as it envisions mutual contributions with Norway in developing capacities and technologies for the sector. “It helps position Brazil in the quest for leadership in developing decarbonization solutions, including stimulating science and innovation in Brazilian universities,” she explains, detailing that one of the key points is a study to map hubs for CCS in the country.

Nathalia also notes that Norway is a pioneer in this segment, with dedicated geological CO2 storage projects since the 1990s and various dedicated solutions such as the Longship project, a Norwegian government initiative for constructing a complete infrastructure for CO2 capture, transport, and storage in the country.

Thomas Conrad Granli, director of Innovation Norway, described the signing of the memorandum as a significant milestone in the collaboration between the countries to address climate change challenges. “This memorandum is more than a formal agreement; it is a promise of continuous collaboration, as we believe that collaboration and innovation are key to advancing the energy transition and mitigating climate change. Technological enhancement and our commitment to a low-carbon economy have enabled the world's largest carbon storage project. We hope to share our knowledge and experience while learning from the Brazilian perspectives,” stated Granli.

Heloísa Borges, director of oil, gas, and biofuels at EPE, emphasized the complexity of balancing different components of public policies regarding carbon emissions in Brazil. “The journey towards carbon neutrality requires offsetting or avoiding a significant amount of emissions. We have begun mapping the relevance of each area of the national territory and the relevance of technology in each region to direct more efficient strategies. We need to build collaboration networks that allow innovation and identify new sources of opportunities. Collaboration is fundamental to finding solutions,” affirmed Heloísa, highlighting that Brazil reinforces its interest in achieving climate neutrality by 2050.

About CCS Brasil - CCS Brasil is an association that aims to stimulate activities related to Carbon Capture and Storage in the country, a process that seeks to bring a positive sustainable impact to society and encompasses various technologies for capturing CO2, transporting it, and permanently storing carbon dioxide in deep rock formations. CCS Brasil seeks to promote cooperation among all entities that can participate in this production chain, including funding companies, industries, government, universities, and society, aiming at the development of this market.