The storage gap: Is Europe developing enough CO2 storage capacity to meet demand?

The report finds that while announced storage capacity in the EU and EFTA (including Norway) may exceed 2030 capture demand, the EU alone is not on track to meet its 50 Mtpa target by 2030. Significant uncertainty remains as most projects are in early exploration stages, and actual investment lags behind announced ambitions.

• The European Union is currently not on track to meet its binding obligation for oil and gas producers to provide 50 million tonnes (Mtpa) of annual CO2 injection capacity by 2030. Based on current plans, EU Member States are estimated to reach over 35 Mtpa by 2030, though this could potentially reach 45 Mtpa if ambitious onshore projections in Denmark are realized.
• When including Norway, the total storage capacity in the EU and EFTA is projected to exceed the combined capture demand of those regions by 16% by 2030. Norway's capacity alone could reach approximately 46 Mtpa by 2030 and approach 83 Mtpa in the longer term.
• There is a significant disparity between announced project ambitions and actual investment. Only 5.3 Mtpa of CO2 capture capacity has reached the construction phase following a final investment decision, and only 9 Mtpa of storage capacity is currently under construction in the European Economic Area (EEA).
• Project-based assessments likely underestimate actual industrial demand. Market surveys in Belgium, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands indicate a combined demand of over 100 Mtpa by 2030 and 160 Mtpa in the long term, which is nearly three times the demand identified through specific project analysis in those regions.
• Storage capacity projections are subject to high uncertainty because most projects are in the early stages of exploration licenses and lack a common reporting methodology. Historically, storage projects have taken up to eight years to move from the concept phase to injection.
• The United Kingdom has significant proposed capture projects (over 58 Mtpa) and long-term storage ambitions (100 Mtpa), but it is unlikely to meet its earlier target of 20-30 Mtpa stored by 2030. Furthermore, UK storage cannot currently be used by EU fossil CO2 emitters because UK-permitted sites are not recognized by the EU Emissions Trading System.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (n.d.). The storage gap: Is Europe developing enough CO2 storage capacity to meet demand? https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25101607/europe-co2-storage-gap.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. The storage gap: Is Europe developing enough CO2 storage capacity to meet demand? n.d. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25101607/europe-co2-storage-gap.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=The storage gap: Is Europe developing enough CO2 storage capacity to meet demand? |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25101607/europe-co2-storage-gap.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforcendstorage, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{The storage gap: Is Europe developing enough CO2 storage capacity to meet demand?}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25101607/europe-co2-storage-gap.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }