Carbon Dioxide Becomes a Resource in New Project
How can carbon dioxide from biogas production and other biological processes be captured and used instead of fossil-based carbon dioxide? A new EU-funded project, led by the University of Gävle, will investigate this question together with partners in Sweden, Finland, Latvia, and Estonia.
Photo from the kick-off meeting for the project aimed at reducing the use of fossil carbon dioxide. Photo: University of Gävle.
The Bio-CCU project—Biogenic Carbon Capture and Utilization—has now begun. At the project’s first joint meeting, the eight partners from countries in the Central Baltic region gathered to lay the groundwork for their collaboration.
Funded by the EU
The project is led by the University of Gävle and has been awarded approximately two million euros in funding from the EU’s Interreg Central Baltic program.
Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, but it is also used as a product and raw material. For example, it is used in greenhouses and in the food industry, and can be used in the production of biofuels, chemicals, and fertilizers.
Today, a large portion of the carbon dioxide used in industry comes from fossil sources. Bio-CCU, on the other hand, focuses on biogenic carbon dioxide that arises as a byproduct in processes where biomass is used, such as in the production of biogas from biological waste. The idea is that it can be captured and used to replace carbon dioxide of fossil origin.
As part of the project, researchers and other project partners will, among other things, develop a digital map showing where biogenic carbon dioxide is located and which stakeholders can utilize it.
To Replace Fossil Carbon Dioxide
The project will also create a database of existing and potential value chains for biogenic carbon dioxide, as well as a web-based decision-support tool for organizations interested in capturing and utilizing carbon dioxide.
An important part of the project is to test the solutions in practice.
At the Gästrike Ekogas biogas plant, carbon dioxide will be captured and purified to investigate the possibility of using it in the food industry.
At Tartu Veevärk’s wastewater treatment plant in Estonia, captured carbon dioxide will instead be used to cultivate microalgae. The algae will then be converted into biochar that can be used for soil improvement.
The goal is to contribute to new cross-border value chains where biogenic carbon dioxide can replace fossil carbon dioxide and become a resource for both the business sector and society.
Facts: Biogenic and Fossil Carbon Dioxide
Biogenic carbon dioxide comes from biomass and is part of the short carbon cycle. The carbon dioxide released when biomass is burned or decomposes can be reabsorbed by plants through photosynthesis; it does not contribute to net emissions and is therefore considered climate-neutral.
Fossil carbon dioxide is released when coal, oil, and natural gas are used. In these cases, the carbon has been stored in the ground for millions of years. When it is burned, additional carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.
Field Trip to Stockholm Exergi
At the start of the project, the project team visited Stockholm Exergi, which is building a large facility for capturing biogenic carbon dioxide at the Värtaverket power plant in Stockholm.
The carbon dioxide to be captured there comes from the combustion of wood-based fuel and is thus of biological origin. The plan is for most of it to be transported for permanent storage. The facility is scheduled to begin operations in 2028 and will be capable of capturing approximately 800,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year.
Learn more about Bio-CCU:
Bio-CCU – Central Baltic External link.
Follow the project on LinkedIn:
Bio-CCU Interreg Central Baltic Programme External link.
This page was last updated 2026-09-07