Europe launches first cross-border BECCS project at biomethane facility

Switzerland has launched Europe’s first commercial cross-border BECCS project, combining bioenergy production with carbon capture and permanent storage. The biomethane facility in Niederwil captures biogenic CO₂ generated during the anaerobic digestion of agricultural and food waste.

The facility can capture up to 4.3 thsd tons of CO₂ per year. The carbon dioxide is liquefied and transported from Switzerland through Germany to Denmark by road and rail before being shipped from the Port of Esbjerg to a permanent storage site in the North Sea.

The CO₂ is injected as part of Project Greensand into the depleted Nini West reservoir at a depth of around 1.8 km beneath the seabed. Taking into account emissions from the entire transport and processing chain, the project achieves a net atmospheric carbon removal efficiency of approximately 91.7%.

The project’s business model is supported by the sale of certified carbon removal credits. Switzerland’s Climate Cent Foundation has committed to pre-purchasing CHF 10 mln worth of such credits through 2030. This means capturing biogenic CO₂ could provide biomethane producers with an additional source of revenue.

The project demonstrates how smaller local biogas and biomethane facilities can access international CO₂ storage infrastructure even in countries without their own geological storage capacity. The model could support further BECCS development in Europe while expanding the economic opportunities associated with biomethane production.

Tags: EU, Switzerland, biomethane