Finland explores carbon capture technology as Antti Arasto highlights potential advancements

In the 2030s, Finland could potentially capture significant amounts of human-made carbon dioxide that harms the climate, according to Antti Arasto, head of industrial and hydrogen research at VTT Technical Research Centre. There are two main paths for utilizing carbon dioxide sourced from the atmosphere: capturing and storing it, or converting it into useful products such as e-fuels. This latter approach particularly requires a substantial amount of renewable energy, specifically solar and wind power, making Finland and Sweden, alongside the Iberian Peninsula, key regions in Europe for this technology.

Arasto highlighted that Finland has access to biomass-derived carbon dioxide, which is not available everywhere in Europe. The forestry industry generates around 20 million tons of biomass-based carbon dioxide annually, providing ample localized sources of gas. He noted that Finland and Sweden are among the most interesting places globally for producing synthetic fuels efficiently, based on renewable electricity.

Additionally, Vantaa Energy’s announcement regarding carbon dioxide capture and shipping is deemed a significant step for Finland. Arasto commended their initiative to address environmental issues through sustainable methods but also emphasized that Finland still struggles to meet high emission reduction standards. The carbon dioxide will be transported via pipeline to a port for shipping to storage sites, primarily in Norway and Denmark, as Finland lacks its own CO2 storage facilities.

Despite progress in technology for carbon storage and utilization, significant infrastructure development is needed. Challenges remain with slow market formation and complex EU regulations regarding the pricing of negative emissions and fuel blending mandates for aviation. Arasto emphasized the need for swifter and bolder decision-making in Finland to keep pace with projects in neighboring Sweden and Denmark, which have seen more initiatives launched in the carbon economy. Norway is set to open a massive underwater storage site for all countries to utilize in the future.