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This paper examines the Norwegian policy to reduce emissions in the short term and the strategies proposed to promote technology switching and facilitate Norway's transition to a climate-neutral society by 2050. Relying on European tradable emissions permits and domestic emission taxation is not regarded as sufficient to meet the ambitious long-term target of becoming a low-carbon society by 2050. The key policy recommendations from our analysis are: First of all, Norway should carefully reconsider the goals and policies in place aimed at sectors already covered by the EU ETS. Second, although subsidising electric vehicles has been a good policy in the past, the time may have come to gradually phase out these supports. Finally, establishing new 'green' industries in Norway should be based on sound economic principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates various alternatives for the application of CCS at a cement plant which is one of the focus site for CCS deployment in Norway. A matrix consisting of nine CCS alternative chains is analysed in order to quantify cost reduction potentials across the CCS value chain based on an in-house techno-economic assessment methodology and tool called iCCS. In particular, the paper quantifies the strong cost reduction potential of second generation capture technologies and transport technology selection. CO 2 EOR is also identified to have a strong potential to reduce the overall CCS cost, however the cost benefits are strongly dependent on the oil value and the considered EOR injection period. The impact of the inclusion of CO 2 capture and conditioning in the cost of cement shows that public financial support will be required to ensure that the plant remain competitive under current cement market price. Finally, comparison of the full-scale capture versus part-scale capture shows, in this case, that the economies of scale are nearly compensated by the additional steam cost, therefore limiting the interest for full-scale implementation. However, joint deployment with the two other CCS potential sites in Norway (Yara and Klemenstrud) may bring more synergies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In 2007, the Norwegian prime minister made the promise that a ‘lunar landing’ was due at Mongstad Refining in 2014, involving full-scale cleaning of CO2. This was the prelude to a long and heated debate on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) in Norwegian media. Through a discourse analysis we have identified two main media discourses related to the announced lunar landing; including important participants and arguments, as well as the positions taken by the actors of the discourses. The paper outlines the underlying structures of the public debate about CCS, and argues that the discourse is not really about CCS but politics in the form of narratives on promises, alliances and emotions caused by political actions. The paper shows the importance of media discourses for the legitimacy and willingness to finance CCS R&D. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has enjoyed stronger political support in Norway than in other countries. Early CCS initiatives were motivated by the challenge of reconciling relatively ambitious climate policy targets with growing emissions from Norway's offshore oil and gas operations, whose expertise and project opportunities formed the basis for these initiatives. The early start of the CCS debate created political path dependence effects, including recruitment of much of the environmental sector (government agencies and some NGOs) as CCS promoters. Paradoxically, the historical absence from Norway of fossil-based power generation also favoured CCS. Initiatives to add gas-fired generating capacity to Norway's previously emissions-free power supply created an entrenched conflict in which CCS became a politically necessary compromise. The more recent growth in political support for CCS in other countries may be explained by the fact that governments increasingly experience similar, politically difficult climate/energy policy dilemmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reservoir characterization specific to CO2 storage is challenging due to the dynamic interplay of physical and chemical trapping mechanisms. The mineralization potential for CO2 in a given siliciclastic sandstone aquifer is controlled by the mineralogy, the total reactive surface areas, and the prevailing reservoir conditions. Grain size, morphologies and mineral assemblages vary according to sedimentary facies and diagenetic imprint. The proposed workflow highlights how the input values for reactive mineral surface areas used in geochemical modelling may be parameterized as part of geological reservoir characterization. The key issue is to separate minerals both with respect to phase chemistry and morphology (i.e., grain size, shape, and occurrence), and focus on main reactants for sensitivity studies and total storage potentials. The Johansen Formation is the main reservoir unit in the new full-value chain CO2 capture and storage (CCS) prospect in Norway, which was licenced for the storage of CO2 as of 2019. The simulations show how reaction potentials vary in different sedimentary facies and for different mineral occurrences. Mineralization potentials are higher in fine-grained facies, where plagioclase and chlorite are the main cation donors for carbonatization. Reactivity decreases with higher relative fractions of ooidal clay and lithic fragments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]