E.ON Energy Projects GmbH, part of Germany-headed energy utility major E.ON SE, and the Danish intermunicipal waste management company Amager Resource Center (ARC) have signed an agreement on the carbon capture and storage project CopenCapture in Copenhagen, Denmark. The project aims to capture up to 400,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually from the flue stack at the CopenHill waste-to-energy plant and store it underground.
The new CopenCapture partnership agreement marks that E.ON is applying for prequalification in the Danish Energy Agency’s carbon capture and storage (CCS) tender, which mandates full carbon dioxide (CO2) capture by 2030.
Part of the emitted CO2 at CopenHill (Amager Bakke) combined heat and power (CHP) plant originates from organic materials, e.g., contaminated paper and cardboard.
This CO2 is classified as biogenic (bioCO2), and capturing it will result in so-called negative emissions – CO2 from a natural carbon cycle that is permanently removed from the atmosphere.
Electrification can reduce many types of CO2 emissions. However, we do not yet have the technologies to eliminate the need for environmentally responsible treatment of residual waste that cannot be reused or recycled. Utilizing residual waste to generate local heat and electricity for communities and businesses is the best available solution. However, waste-to-energy still faces a challenge: CO2 emissions from the process. This is why CO2 capture in waste-to-energy is a crucial climate solution that we, as a company, are committed to contributing to, said Marten Bunnemann, CEO of E.ON Energy Infrastructure Solutions.
Access voluntary carbon markets
The negative emissions can be sold as climate credits – specifically, high-quality Carbon Removal Credits (CRCs).
These credits will be traded on the voluntary CO2 credit market, where companies can purchase CO2 reductions either as compensation or as a contribution.
From our perspective, the world’s most modern and iconic WtE plant should also be a frontrunner in CCS. CopenHill is a state-of-the-art facility with a long lifespan, operating year-round and meeting the highest environmental standards. Denmark has created strong conditions for developing new CCS projects through its tendering process. The CopenCapture partnership presents a unique opportunity to establish an international benchmark project, demonstrating how we can tackle one of the most challenging and complex climate issues – the increasing CO2, Marten Bunnemann said.
For ARC, the collaboration means taking the next step in its climate strategy and creating an international reference facility for CCS in a public-private partnership.
With E.ON as a partner, we get the best of both worlds. We can continue to deliver competitive district heating and waste management to the residents of Copenhagen while benefiting from E.ON’s technical expertise and experience in large-scale energy projects, said Jane Egebjerg Andersen, COO of ARC.
Readying for projects in Sweden
The implementation of CopenCapture is contingent on financial support from the Danish CCS funding scheme.
Prequalification for Denmark’s CCS auction ended on March 25, 2025. Further steps will follow before the announcement of the beneficiaries in April 2026.
In Sweden, the first reverse auction for CSS was conducted by the Swedish Energy Agency as part of Sweden’s focus on bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS).
E.ON is developing CCS projects through feasibility studies and pilot projects at three of its district heating plants in Sweden.
At E.ON, we are continuing to work on utilizing the synergies from the project in Denmark to bring that knowledge to our projects in Sweden. We want to be ready when the Swedish reverse auction opens for a second round. Then we hope that our waste incineration plants will have the opportunity to participate with competitive bids, commented Charlotte Reidhav, Business Area Manager at E.ON Energy Infrastructure.
