The company CO2 Energie AG, the project developer Airfix and the climate company South Pole – with the contribution of carbon capture pioneers Carbon Impact – have started a ground-breaking project for CO₂ capture and geological storage. The project is set to become the largest in Switzerland to date with 21,800 tCO₂ to be removed over five years. Since launch, the project has reached key milestones including final investment decision, secured transport and storage agreements, and full value chain integration – positioning it as a first-of-its-kind in Switzerland and Europe.

CO₂ capture and storage: How the project works

CO2 Energie AG is planning to install a system that captures and liquefies CO₂ at a biogas plant close to Zurich. This will involve the annual capture and subsequent conversion of ~4,360 tonnes of CO₂ emissions directly at their point of origin. This is the second carbon capture project for CO2 Energie AG, who are further expanding their business in the CO₂ recycling sector. The first system installed is already capturing CO₂, which is then supplied to the Swiss gas market and recycled, replacing fossil CO₂.

With this second system, CO2 Energie AG is going an important step further by producing negative emissions for the first time: after capture, the liquefied CO₂ is transported to a geological storage site in northern Europe by truck, train and ship, where it can be stored permanently. Specialising in the coordination and grouping of services for CO₂ transport and CO₂ storage, Airfix plays a key role in ensuring that the CO₂ supply chain runs smoothly. 

Following recent agreements, the captured CO₂ will be transported via a fully contracted multimodal logistics chain (truck, rail and ship) to Denmark for permanent offshore storage in the North Sea. This makes the project the first Swiss commercial initiative to store CO₂ internationally.

Completing the full BECCS value chain

This project is among the first in Europe to have all elements of the BECCS value chain contractually secured:

• Capture and liquefaction at the biogas facility
• Multimodal CO₂ transport via a dedicated logistics agreement
• Permanent offshore geological storage in the Danish North Sea
• Monetisation through long-term offtake agreements

With these components in place, the project has moved from concept to a fully integrated, executable and bankable carbon removal solution, creating a replicable model for small- and medium-sized emitters.

Creating a market for CO₂ capture

The project has already secured strong demand: The Swiss Climate Cent Foundation guarantees the purchase of CO₂ certificates for an initial value of CHF 10 million until 2030.

In parallel, long-term agreements for CO₂ transport and permanent storage have been secured, including storage in the Danish North Sea, demonstrating the viability of cross-border carbon removal value chains in Europe.

The first CO₂ transport and storage operations will start in summer 2026, marking a major milestone for Switzerland’s path to net zero.