Frequently Asked Questions
What is CCS?
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a technological approach capable of seizing around 95% of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. These emissions typically originate from the combustion of fossil fuels for electricity production and various industrial activities. The CCS process prevents the release of these emissions into the atmosphere and instead safely stores the captured CO₂ deep underground on a long-term basis.
How does CCS work?
The process of CCS operates in three primary stages:
Capture: In the first phase, CO₂ emissions are captured at their source, typically from large point sources like power plants or industrial sites that burn fossil fuels. The capture can be performed pre-combustion, post-combustion, or through oxyfuel combustion, each with their respective methods and technologies.
Transport: Once the CO₂ is captured and compressed, it’s transported to a suitable storage site. This is typically done via pipelines, though it can also be transported by ship or road if necessary.
Storage: The final phase involves storing the captured CO₂ in geological formations deep underground. This can include depleted oil and gas fields, unminable coal seams, or deep saline formations. These sites are carefully chosen and monitored to ensure the CO₂ remains securely stored and does not leak back into the atmosphere.
Where will the captured CO₂ gas be stored?
Geological storage of CO₂ is prohibited in Lithuania, therefore it is planned that collected and liquefied CO₂ gas will be floated to permanent storage sites in the North Sea. It will then be permanently stored in suitable geological structures, former oil or gas production reservoirs or saline aquifers on the seabed.
What is carbon dioxide (CO₂)?
Carbon dioxide, also known as CO₂, is a colorless, odorless gas. It is formed when oxygen is inhaled, and carbon dioxide is exhaled during the breathing process of humans and all other mammals, birds, fish, reptiles or amphibians. This gas is also released during the decomposition of organic matter.
CO₂ is also formed through the process of human activities, such as farming or the use of fossil fuels – coal or oil and its products – in industry, energy and other areas.
CO₂ is extremely important for life as plant photosynthesis would not be possible without it. However, the excess of this gas in the Earth’s atmosphere contributes to the amplification of the greenhouse effect, which is starting to change the entire climate of our planet.
Is CO₂ hazardous to people?
CO₂ is not toxic or poisonous and is a natural part of the air we breathe every day. At normal outdoor concentrations, it does not pose a health risk to people, and it is widely used in many industries, such as food and beverage production. However, very high concentrations of CO₂ can be hazardous, because CO₂ can displace oxygen in the air.
In CCS projects, safety risks are carefully managed. CO₂ is handled in closed systems with continuous monitoring, safety controls and emergency procedures, ensuring that people are not exposed to hazardous concentrations during normal operations.
How is regular CO₂ different from liquefied CO₂?
Regular CO₂ is in a gaseous state, liquefied CO₂ (also known as LCO₂) is obtained when the gas is purified and cooled to -30°C, then converted into a liquid.
What about odors?
CO₂ is odorless and terminals do not emit smells.
Why is CCS technology needed?
CO₂ emissions from the industrial sector account for about one fifth of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Excess of the GHG in the atmosphere is changing the climate balance of our planet.
One of the most important measures required to reduce GHG emissions is to replace fossil energy sources with renewable ones in the production of energy. Where the use of this method is difficult (e.g. production of cement, steel, and glass production, chemical industry, etc.), CCS technology can be used as an alternative. This method reduces emissions where it is currently impossible to do so by other means. For example, in the production of cement, a large part of CO₂ is released when heating limestone and these emissions do not depend on the energy used in the process.
While CCS technology does not reduce CO₂ emissions during industrial processes, it does allow you to capture the resulting carbon dioxide, which is stored underground, for example in suitable geological structures or in former oil or gas reservoirs, preventing it from entering the atmosphere.
What role does CCS play in combating climate change?
By effectively capturing and storing CO₂, thus preventing its release into the atmosphere, CCS serves as one of the key technologies that can significantly lower emissions originating from industrial processes, thereby aiding in the fight against climate change.
Why invest in CO₂ transportation and storage instead of reducing emissions at the source?
Most industrial emitters already reduce emissions where possible. Remaining emissions – especially from cement, steel, chemicals, fertilizers, and waste-to-energy – cannot reach zero without CCS. Using the same value chain, with one CO₂ terminal, it allows multiple industries to decarbonize collectively, lowering regional emissions.
Why is CCS technology used in factories of Akmenės cementas and SCHWENK Latvia?
Cement production poses a serious challenge in achieving climate neutrality goals, as it is associated with approximately 7–8% of global GHG emissions.
CCS technology is used in cement production, because more than half of all CO₂ gas is released during the calcination process, when clinker heated to extremely high temperatures (almost 1,500°C) decomposes into calcium oxide and CO₂. This is an inevitable chemical process, which is essential to cement construction.
As the CO₂ is released during calcination, CCS technology protects the CO₂ from entering the atmosphere.
Due to the constantly increasing CO₂ pollution taxes, cement production companies that do not implement CCS may become unable to compete in the market.
What are the potential applications of CCS?
CCS can be utilized to effectively reduce carbon dioxide emissions from various sources, including power generation facilities and industrial processes.
How wide is CCS technology used in other countries?
The number of CCS projects is rapidly increasing worldwide. According to the Global Status of CCS 2025 report, there are 77 operational CCS facilities globally, 47 under construction, 297 in advanced development, and 313 in early development.
The leaders in this area are countries such as: USA, UK, Canada, Norway, and China.
Is permanent storage of CO₂ under the seabed safe?
Yes. CCS technology has been used for more than 50 years – this reliable storage system is based on accumulated experience and existing engineering solutions.
CCS technology was first used in oil fields, and the experience gained was later applied in the development of commercial CCS projects. The first such project – Sleipner – was launched in 1996 in Norway. CO₂ is stored here under the North Sea floor. The Global CCS Institute report released in the autumn of 2025 states that around 20 million tons of CO₂ are stored in this project in this manner.
CCS practice involves the injection of CO₂ into porous rock formations or depleted oil and gas reservoirs located beneath the seabed, typically at depths greater than 800 meters. Site selection is a critical part of this process, as choosing locations that minimize the risk of leakage is paramount. Furthermore, implementing robust monitoring and remediation procedures provide additional assurance that the stored CO₂,remains securely in place.
What happens to the stored CO₂ in the long run?
Over time, CO₂ becomes trapped in rock pores, where it dissolves in saline water or mineralizes into solid carbonates. These are naturally stable processes. The duration of this process depends on the rock types present in the borehole.
