About 100 participants from 15 countries, including CCUS ZEN project coordinator Eirik Falck da Silva (SINTEF, Norway) took part on-site and online in the annual Baltic Carbon Forum 2023 on 12-13 October in Riga, organized by the BASRECCS network.

Dr. Alla Shogenova and Dr. Kazbulat Shogenov participated at the Forum, representing Tallinn University of Technology (Department of Geology) and Shogenergy company. 

At the conference, a number of key speakers within CO₂ Capture, Transport, Use, and Geological Storage technology (CCUS) in the Baltic Sea region were presented (but not only):

• 💎 Latvian Ministry of Climate and Energy, Latvia
• 💎 SCHWENK, Latvia
• 💎 Global CCS Institute, Belgium
• 💎 Equinor, Norway
• 💎 Wintershall Dea International GmbH, Denmark
• 💎 Danish Energy Agency, Denmark
• 💎 SINTEF, Norway
• 💎 NORCE Energy, Norway
• 💎 Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU), Sweden
• 💎 Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE), Sweden
• 💎 Uppsala University, Sweden
• 💎 Åbo Akademi University, Finland
• 💎 Silesian University of Technology, Poland
• 💎 Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania
• 💎 Bellona, Belgium
• 💎 Oil and Gas Institute – National Research Institute, Poland
• 💎 GH2 and COO of Cemvita, United States of America
• 💎 Perspectives Climate Group, Germany
• 💎 TalTech, Estonia
• 💎 Energy Policy Group, Romania
• 💎 Shogenergy, Estonia

Alla Shogenova was presented as session chair and instructor. She shared her expertise with a short course: “Developments in strategic, political, and regulatory issues.”

Kazbulat Shogenov presented a poster: “New synergy concept of geothermal energy recovery, CO₂ and green hydrogen geological storage in the Baltic offshore structure”.

After the presentation of Aiga Grasmane (Keynote Speaker) from the Latvian Ministry of Climate and Energy about the current development status of a new Latvian law regarding CO₂ storage in Latvia, Dr. Shogenov expressed a readiness to share 17 years of experience in CCUS and Latvian geological structures exploration with the Latvian Ministry and help to take the correct regulatory decision for the richest CO₂ storage opportunities country in the Baltic Region.

Unfortunately, although the process of changing Latvian law has been in progress over the last two years, Aiga presented the government’s position to continue the ban on CO₂ geological storage.

The audience of researchers and stakeholders was surprised after this statement and waited for actions from the main Latvian CO₂ emitters – SCHWENK Latvija SIA.

The next day, Evita Gosa, Keynote Speaker, the Environmental and Legal Director and the Management Board Member of SCHWENK Latvija SIA, gave a revolutionary talk. After her speech, it was proposed to organize BASRECCS task forces “Communication & Regulatory” and prepare the BCF2023 declaration, which would be sent to ministries to push Baltic governments to raise the ban. All participants expressed a readiness to support it. The CCUS fight is just beginning and will be hard and hot. Follow us to be informed firsthand.

See you soon at our next scientific meetings!