As carbon capture, utilisation and storage gains real traction across the sector, efficient modular compression systems are enabling large-scale deployment and greater cost certainty.
Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) is increasingly recognised as a critical technology in reaching global climate goals. The International Energy Agency estimates that 6.2 gigatonnes of CO₂ will need to be captured and permanently stored every year by 2050 to stay on a net-zero trajectory. To meet this target, solutions that are both technically robust and scalable are essential.
A key component of any CCUS value chain is CO₂ compression. High-performance integrally geared compressor (IGC) trains are now used in several large-scale carbon capture projects to pressurise CO₂ for transport and storage – often reaching pressures above 200bar. These systems must combine reliability, efficiency and adaptability to site-specific conditions.
A growing CCUS track record
A flagship project for CCUS in industry is located in Brevik, Norway, where Heidelberg Materials is capturing around 440,000t of CO₂ annually at its cement plant – the first of its kind in the world. The CO₂ is separated using an amine-based process, then compressed using an electrically driven RG 63-7 integrally geared compressor. The liquefied CO₂ is transported to the Northern Lights storage site and injected beneath the North Sea seabed.
Since entering full operation in 2025, the system has become a reference point for CCUS in the cement sector – one of the most emissions-intensive industries globally.
In Canada, the Quest facility continues to demonstrate long-term CO₂ sequestration from hydrogen production. Since commissioning in 2015, it has captured and stored close to 900,000t of CO₂ per year, using an RG 90-8 compressor train. This project contributed to building early confidence in industrial-scale CCUS infrastructure.
The Porthos project in the Netherlands represents a step change in volume and integration. Slated to start operations in 2026, the system will capture 2.5Mt of CO₂ annually from multiple emitters in the Port of Rotterdam and store it in a depleted gas field offshore. Compression will be handled by three RG 28-6 trains. Here, a shared infrastructure model is enabling economies of scale and faster deployment.
Flexibility for faster deployment
Recent developments increasingly rely on modular compression systems to accelerate timelines, reduce costs and minimise site complexity. These standardised, skid-mounted units cover mass flows from 0.4 to 2.75Mt per annum and can be adapted to gas, liquid or supercritical CO₂. By simplifying logistics, installation and maintenance, they offer clear advantages, especially for geographically remote or logistically constrained projects.
With more than 20 active references and more than one million operating hours in CO₂ compression, the underlying technology has proven its maturity. Ongoing improvements – from digital simulation to compact impeller design – continue to increase performance while reducing lifecycle costs.
Industrial-scale CCUS is no longer a future vision – it is already operational in multiple sectors. As projects like Brevik, Quest and Porthos show, reliable and efficient compression systems are enabling real progress. Modular designs now offer a path to faster, broader adoption – supporting the global drive to decarbonise industry at scale.
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