Environment Zurich's CO2 from sewage sludge will be stored in the North Sea in future
The city of Zurich can launch a pioneering project for sewage sludge incineration in Werdhölzli. The city parliament agreed on Wednesday that the CO2 from the incineration will be separated, liquefied and stored in future. However, because some of the greenhouse gas will be sent to Denmark, some council members had reservations.
19.06.2024, 18:17
19.06.2024, 18:47
SDA
The city parliament approved the project at the Werdhölzli sewage treatment plant with 100 votes in favor and 13 against. "We are writing Zurich climate history with this," said city councillor Simone Brander (SP). This climate history will cost around CHF 35 million in one-off expenditure and recurring expenditure of CHF 14 million from 2028.
The aim is to stop releasing the CO2 from sewage sludge incineration into the air through the chimney and instead capture and liquefy it. The liquefied greenhouse gas is then either stored in recycled concrete - or transported by truck to Denmark. There it is stored in the ground in the North Sea. The aim is to remove 25,000 tons of CO2 from the air each year.
"Carrying CO2 across Europe"
However, the export of CO2 to Denmark caused some parliamentarians to have reservations. Matthias Probst from the Green Party, for example, said that he had problems with CO2 being transported around the world by truck. If it had only been a question of storing it in concrete, he would have voted yes. However, the Green Party member pressed the red button.
The SVP was at least partly of the same opinion. It makes no sense to cart CO2 across Europe, said Johann Widmer. Once again, this was just about achieving the local net-zero target. "Whatever the cost."
The FDP also had doubts. "You have to ask yourself whether there aren't better concepts," said Emanuel Tschannen. "Our yes vote should therefore not be interpreted as a yes for a future large-scale facility in Hagenholz."
If the project in Werdhölzli is a success, the CO2 from the Hagenholz waste incineration plant will one day also be captured. The potential there is up to 180,000 tons of CO2 per year, which could be captured and liquefied from 2035.
