From seabed to business case: Denmark’s CCUS ecosystem is ready to scale
From seabed to business case: Denmark’s CCUS ecosystem is ready to scale

Insight

From seabed to business case: Denmark's CCUS ecosystem is ready to scale

Insight

From seabed to business case: Denmark's CCUS ecosystem is ready to scale

Denmark has reached an important milestone in carbon capture, utilisation and storage. In December 2025, the country granted its first full-scale CO2 storage permit to the Greensand project, operated by Ineos. The permit allows for the storage of up to 2.4 million tonnes of CO2 beneath the seabed of the North Sea per year. This marks a shift from pilot activity towards early commercial-scale deployment, supported by a clear regulatory framework and initial infrastructure investments.

When

A complete storage chain taking shape

The Greensand project is supported by infrastructure that is gradually being put in place. Dedicated CO2 transport vessels are already in operation, and construction of a CO2 terminal at the Port of Esbjerg is under way. Together, these elements form the basis of Denmark’s first integrated supply chain for offshore CO2 storage, covering capture, transport and injection.

For international companies assessing CCUS opportunities in Europe, this provides an early example of how Denmark is structuring storage projects around shared infrastructure rather than stand-alone solutions.

More storage capacity under assessment

While Greensand is the first project to obtain a full storage permit, several other consortia are currently working under investigation permits to mature additional storage sites, both offshore and onshore. And it is expected that two or three nearshore investigation permits is being awarded in the near future.

In total, the storage capacity being developed exceeds CO2 volumes from Danish point sources several times. This gives Denmark the basis for serving both domestic and cross-border storage needs over time, with the pace of deployment primarily depending on the establishment of viable business cases for individual storage sites.

Capture potential and infrastructure planning

Denmark’s CCUS activities build on existing capture potential in the well-developed biogas, combined heat and power plants and industrial sectors. Together, these sources create a scale and diversity of emissions that form a natural foundation for Denmark to develop a broader role as a European CCUS hub. These sectors provide a starting point for future capture projects as technologies, policy frameworks and economics continue to evolve.

At the same time, Danish ports and the state-owned infrastructure provider Evida are examining options for future CO2 transport infrastructure, including pipelines linking ports, storage sites and emission sources. These initiatives are still in development but indicate a coordinated approach to long-term infrastructure planning.

Investor interest across the CCUS value chain

Beyond storage, Invest in Denmark is seeing increasing interest from international companies and investors in related CCUS activities. This includes direct air capture and carbon utilisation based on biological processes and the incorporation of CO2 into building materials.

Taken together, these developments point to a CCUS landscape that is gradually taking shape, with opportunities emerging across different parts of the value chain as projects mature and market conditions develop.

Get in touch

Interested in exploring how your CCUS project could plug into Denmark’s fast-maturing carbon ecosystem? 

If you are exploring CCUS opportunities in Europe and would like to better understand how Denmark’s regulatory framework, infrastructure planning and project pipeline could be relevant to your business, Invest in Denmark is ready to support your initial assessment. Get in touch to discuss potential locations, partners and next steps. 

Copenhagen

  • Sarina Lohmann

    Title: Special Advisor – Maritime and transport – Analysis & Partnerships

    Area: Copenhagen

    Phone: +4533920423

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