The Ministry of Economy has signed a grant agreement for research into carbon capture and storage under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan 2021–2026. The 2.7-million-euro grant provides 100 per cent co-financing of the investment.
The project aims to assess the potential for geological storage of carbon dioxide onshore and offshore. As part of this, a geological atlas will be developed covering deep saline aquifers and geological structures suitable for permanent CO₂ storage. A Pre-FEED study will also be prepared for the Bockovac site, a software package for designing a CCS system will be procured, and promotional activities will be carried out.
Marijan Krpan, President of the Management Board of the Hydrocarbons Agency, emphasised that the project reinforces the Agency’s role in the decarbonisation of heavy industry and that the Atlas will serve as a foundation for future CCS projects, including the strategic geothermal-CCS project, which includes the development of transport infrastructure, storage capacities and the utilisation of geothermal energy.
Luka Balen, Director of the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, stressed the importance of building the expert foundations needed for future decision-making: “The creation of an atlas of geological structures suitable for permanent CO₂ storage, along with a feasibility study at the Bockovac site, will enable informed decisions on future investments and the development of decarbonisation infrastructure.”