Global interest in Northern Lights CO₂ infrastructure

Northern Lights JV (NL) is the transport and storage component of Longship, Norway’s full-scale CCS initiative. The infrastructure enables CO₂ to be transported from industrial emission sources to permanent storage in geological formations beneath the seabed in the North Sea. In parallel with developing physical infrastructure, the project also aims to contribute to international knowledge sharing.

An international reference project

NL has published the “Annual Benefits Realisation and Knowledge Sharing Report 2025.” The report summarises how experience gained from developing infrastructure for CO₂ transport and storage is shared nationally and internationally. It documents a broad range of activities throughout the year – from delegation visits and professional events to media engagement and collaboration with industry and authorities.

Øygarden as a learning arena

The visitor centre in Øygarden, outside Bergen, has developed into a key hub for CCS knowledge. In 2025, NL welcomed 3,218 visitors across 211 delegations from government, industry, academia and interest organisations. The visitor centre is described in the report as “a global hub for carbon management.”

In total, more than 15,000 people from 73 countries have visited the facility since its opening in 2021. Approximately half of the delegations represent industry, while the remainder come from government bodies, research institutions and the public sector.

Among the delegations in 2025 were representatives from the UK Parliament, Swiss authorities, Members of the European Parliament, and energy ministers from several countries. These visits provide participants with insight into the entire CCS value chain – from CO₂ capture at industrial facilities to transport by specially designed ships and permanent storage beneath the seabed.

More than 100 international events – and growing demand

The report also shows how NL shares experience through an extensive programme of conferences and professional forums. Over the course of the year, NL participated in more than 100 international events where technological, regulatory and commercial aspects of CCS were discussed.

Through presentations, workshops and roundtable discussions, the project shares experience from the planning, construction and commissioning of the facility. Such knowledge sharing can help reduce uncertainty and costs for new CCS projects.

Milestones attracting attention

Several events during 2025 marked important milestones for NL. Notably, the first arrival of the CO₂ transport vessel Northern Pioneer attracted significant international attention. The ship is specifically designed for transporting liquefied CO₂, from industrial capture sites to the storage facility on the Norwegian continental shelf.

– The experience is valuable internationally

Senior Advisor Technology at Gassnova, Jale Mutlu, believes that knowledge sharing from NL is a central part of the value created by Longship. – Experience from Northern Lights has significant international value. Sharing insights from the first full-scale projects enables new actors to reduce both risk and cost when developing their own CCS solutions. Northern Lights has become an important knowledge partner for governments, industry and financial stakeholders now working to establish a European market for CO₂ storage. This openness helps build trust in the technology and makes the path forward easier for those who follow, says Jale Mutlu.