The Swedish Geological Survey (SGU) has identified two potential sites in the Baltic Sea for carbon dioxide storage as part of Sweden's climate strategy, according to reports from multiple Swedish media outlets. The three-year investigation, led by SGU geologist Sofie Lindström, has pinpointed locations southeast of Gotland and south of Skåne as promising areas for underground carbon storage.
Lindström described the findings as "very promising" based on core samples taken from areas near Trelleborg and southern Gotland. The research was conducted under a government mandate, as current Swedish regulations prohibit carbon storage on land. SGU estimates that the two sites could collectively store more than 5 million tons of carbon dioxide annually, which reportedly compares to Sweden's total shipping emissions.
very promising
The carbon dioxide would be stored in porous bedrock beneath denser rock layers that would contain the molecules, eventually mineralizing over hundreds of years. While the findings are encouraging, Lindström cautioned that implementation could take at least ten years, requiring additional investigations, regulatory approvals, and infrastructure development before operations could begin. The project represents a key component of Sweden's strategy to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045.
implementation could take at least ten years, requiring additional investigations, regulatory approvals, and infrastructure development before operations could begin