Promoting and coordinating CCU for Norwegian industry and citizens (CCU4Norway)

CCU4Norway project will provide a networking, coordination and information channel on CCU for Norwegian industries and citizens. This will be accomplished through the publication of 24 Technology Briefs on CCU chemistry, technology and policy, the organization of two Workshops and public outreach. One Technology Brief on the benefits and myths of CCU, entitled "How we can use the climate sinner CO2 for something smart" has been published through the SINTEF Blogg/Gemini.no in May 2021. The blogg was redistributed through the waste recycling websites avfallsbransjen.no and Cnytt.no. The blogg was the 2nd most read article on Gemini.no in the week after publication. Coordination between CCU4Norway project and the CCUS Norge network recently established by BorgCO2 has been established, to maximize impact and avoid duplication of activities. The CCU4Norway project has a website, a LinkedIn profile and a Twitter feed. Public outreach has been achieved through the "Order a researcher" function of the Research Council's "Research Days" program. A presentation on climate change and renewable carbon will be given to a high school class in Troms on 1 October, and a similar presentation to a high school in Mosjøen is planned for 5 November.

While Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is the most prevalent policy and research and innovation (R&I) technology for the reduction of CO2 emissions in Norway, European Union policy is much more focused on Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) technologies. The "Utilization" is the use of CO2 as a carbon source in chemicals, fuels and materials. The intent of utilization, or CCU, is to reduce the demand of fossil fuels as a carbon source and thereby directly and indirectly reduce CO2 emissions. Because of the increased attention on CCU/CCUS in the EU, Norwegian universities, research institutes and process industries are becoming much more aware and interested in the benefits of CCU. Norway's abundance of climate-neutral hydroelectric power makes the country uniquely positioned to establish a new type of energy-demanding technology, providing jobs and economic growth. Thus, while there is a broad information platform and network within Norwegian CCS stakeholders, there is not a similar platform for Norwegian CCU stakeholders. The CCU4Norway project aims to bridge this gap by providing a platform for the promotion and coordination of CCU R&I activities within Norway. The project will have both technology and popular scientific dissemination avenues. The former will be realized through the networking activities and two workshops involving Norwegian stakeholders and international speakers with specific emphasis on CCU technology, policy and economic and social aspects. The latter will be realized through the publication of a series of short, monthly and popular scientific technology briefings that will examine topics such as the chemistry and thermodynamics of CCU, international breakthrough technologies and policy trends, R&I activities by relevant Norwegian academic and industrial stakeholders and the benefits and limitations of CCU technologies. These two dissemination platforms will be united by a website and social media outlets (Twitter, LinkedIn).