19 January 2026

“The Netherlands has a European role to play in the energy transition” — Pieter Tavenier (Gasunie)

While industry is feverishly searching for ways to become more sustainable by reducing CO₂ emissions, Pieter Tavenier, Director of Business Line CCS at Gasunie, sees one technology becoming increasingly prominent in the short term: Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Gasunie is one of the shareholders in Porthos, alongside the Port of Rotterdam Authority and Energiebeheer Nederland (EBN). In his role as a steering committee member at Porthos — the first CCS project within the European Union — Tavenier sees how the Netherlands can become the heart of a cross-border CO₂ network.

‘CCS is a crucial building block for an international infrastructure that accelerates the energy transition,’ says Tavenier. ‘Without large-scale CO₂ capture and storage, industry will simply not achieve its climate targets.’

A network that transcends national borders
Gasunie is working on nothing less than a new pillar of the European energy infrastructure. The company is developing a CO₂ transport network that will connect industries in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium to empty gas fields under the North Sea — locations that are ideally suited for safe, permanent CO₂ storage.

According to Tavenier, this scalability is essential. ‘We are working on several initiatives at the same time: Porthos, Aramis, CO₂next, the Delta Rhine Corridor, the Delta Schelde CO₂nnection. Each project has its own dynamics, but together they form an international value chain that makes CCS accessible to a large part of north-western Europe.’

The goal: an infrastructure that becomes as commonplace as the current natural gas network — but focused on emission reduction rather than energy supply.

Porthos: from idea to European milestone
Of all these projects, Porthos clearly stands out. The construction of the Porthos system is expected to be operational this year, making it the first CCS project of this scale in the region. ‘We at Gasunie are extremely proud of Porthos,’ says Tavenier. ‘It is not only a milestone for the Netherlands, but also for the entire European Union. It shows that large-scale CO₂ storage is technically, economically and organisationally feasible.’ According to him, the involvement of parties such as EBN, the Port of Rotterdam Authority and operators in the North Sea illustrates how broad the support base has become.

Trust as a prerequisite for success
Nevertheless, CCS is not a technology that can be implemented automatically. Behind the scenes, lengthy negotiations are required between governments, industries and infrastructure managers. According to him, this cooperation is perhaps just as important as the technology itself. ‘Projects of this magnitude require trust. Parties must be prepared to make long-term agreements and share the risks fairly. Without clear financial frameworks, you cannot build a pipeline that will last for decades.’

The Netherlands as a strategic hub
The Netherlands is in a favourable starting position. Thanks to its location on the North Sea, existing energy infrastructure and strong industrial base, the country can develop into a strategic hub in the European CCS network.

‘We have the unique opportunity to connect industries from neighbouring countries to storage sites under the North Sea,’ explains Tavenier. ‘If we set up these connections properly, we can enable CCS on a large scale — and thus take an important step towards a climate-neutral industry.’

The biggest hurdle: investment certainty
However, the road ahead is not without obstacles. According to Tavenier, the biggest challenge is creating investment certainty. ‘Companies need to know where they stand,’ he says. “We need political clarity about the role of CCS and hydrogen in European climate policy. And we need concrete instruments for sharing risks, such as state guarantees or targeted EU funding programmes. Only then can a cross-border CO₂ network become the backbone of a sustainable industry in North-West Europe.”

CCS is a top priority
For Gasunie, the mission is clear. The company is fully committed to CO₂ infrastructure as part of a broader transition to a climate-neutral energy system. ‘CCS is a top priority for us,’ concludes Tavenier. ‘We know that Europe needs this technology. We are working on it — together with our partners — so that industry can actually make the transition to net zero.’