CCS potential in Norway – Exploring the role of flagship projects: The Mongstad and Kårstø case studies

Recent decisions for a “carbon-free” Norway by 2050 have raised public expectations, thus forcing the need for full-scale plants construction. In line with the spirit of these decisions Mongstad and Kårstø projects were initiated. These two ambitious efforts were halted recently. In this study, an effort for unveiling the reasons for that postponement was made by functions of innovation systems approach for technological systems. Landscape influences and regime dynamics were also explored. According to the analysis, apart from obvious reasons, some less clear barriers were identified: “over-optimism” followed by underestimation of mitigation costs, first-mover disadvantages and a change in the major actor’s priorities for investments also influenced the government’s decision. What is clear for CCS in Norway is that certain actions need to be undertaken. Market internationalization combined with an increase in R&D funding related to carbon capture, along with robust policies about CO2 taxation can provide the starting point.