Climate neutrality and CCS
Trondheim is one of 112 selected European cities in the EU's societal mission for "climate-neutral and smart cities", and together with SINTEF and Statkraft Varme, has received support for a pilot project through the Pilot Cities program. The background is Trondheim's adopted goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2030, anchored in the city's fourth energy and climate plan - Klimaløftene - which was adopted in April 2024. As part of this ambition, carbon capture and storage (CCS) from the waste incineration plant at Tiller has been identified as a key measure. The plant handles both waste, district heating and circular resource use, and accounts for significant emissions.
Problems the project will solve
The pilot project will identify barriers to the implementation of WtE-CCS (waste-to-energy carbon capture), and develop solutions that make it technically, economically and politically feasible. The issues include low knowledge and uncertainty in the population, the need for societal acceptance, and the lack of business models that also take biogenic emissions into account. The project will also develop a roadmap and fair principles for integrating CCS into climate action plans in European cities.
Timeliness and method
The project is highly relevant in light of increasing climate demands and the need for emission reduction in cities. A successful CCS plant at Tiller could cut Trondheim's annual emissions by up to 220,000 tonnes of CO₂. The project involves both practical development and the use of systemic knowledge from research environments such as SINTEF. Field-based surveys, scenario modelling and public panels are planned, which can also be transferred to other sectors such as transport and emission-free construction sites.
