17 March 2025 saw the official kick-off of the new FME research centre on CCS, gigaCCS, at the Clarion Hotel in Trondheim.

The gathering marked the start of an eight-year partnership focused on scaling up CCS to the gigatonne level. Amongst the 90 participants were representatives from research and industry as well as from the Research Council of Norway and the Norwegian Government.

The Research Council of Norway’s Centres for Environment-friendly Energy Research (FME) carry out long-term research targeted towards renewable energy, energy efficiency, CCS and social science aspects of energy research. The new gigaCCS will be hosted by SINTEF Energy Research which has a 40-year track record in CCS. FME research centres previously hosted by SINTEF include NCCS (2016–2024) and BIGCCS (2008–2016).

Speaking at the kick-off, SINTEF and gigaCCS Director Mona Mølnvik emphasised that CCS at a gigatonne scale is crucial for achieving national and global emission reduction goals. The vision of gigaCCS is therefore clear: to support the accelerated deployment of CCS at gigatonne scale for net-zero emissions by 2050.

Closing the event, Mølnvik said, “In eight years, when the Centre concludes, we want to celebrate a success—not for ourselves, but because the world needs it.”