Project
October 2025
Feasibility Assessment of Rail Transport CO2 in North-West Europe
Project Phases
- Feasibility Study
- Appraise
Technology Areas
- CCUS
Service Areas
- Strategic Advisory
- Technical Solutions
Project Location
- Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, France
Market review and detailed assessment of rail transport of CO2 within North-West Europe to facilitate discussions between key emitters and terminals, and support the client in developing its role within the value chain
Motivation:
Goal7’s client, a carbon store operator, required market analysis and technoeconomic feasibility of rail transport of CO2 in Europe, to facilitate engagement with key stakeholders within its CCS portfolio. With key European CCS pipeline infrastructure expected to be delayed beyond current targets, there is growing interest in alternative transport solutions, such as rail. By enabling rail transport, the store operator has an opportunity to secure early volumes for its storage project(s), address concerns in targeting stranded emitters aiming to decarbonise, and support industry emissions reduction goals.
Our Approach:
Goal7 held targeted interviews across the value chain, engaging key stakeholders such as freight operators, network infrastructure operators, rail car manufacturers, and export terminal operators to map current capabilities, identify bottlenecks, and assess opportunities for CO₂ transport by rail. This provided a clear picture of the status and maturity of rail-based CO₂ logistics across Northern Europe—including Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Insights from this assessment, alongside market research, fed into a collaborative working session with the client to select priority example value chains for further analysis.
These value chains then formed the basis for focused feasibility studies to evaluate the techno-economic viability of rail as an interim CO₂ transport solution, and provided specific regional insights on considerations such as regulatory challenges.
Benefit and Impact:
- Strengthened relationships between carbon store operators and rail infrastructure stakeholders
- Developed a clear understanding of regulatory and economic drivers for non-pipeline transport of CO2 in Northern Europe
- Provided insights into the opportunities and challenges of rail transport for target emitters to develop the credibility of rail transport of CO2 from their sites
- Matured the role of store operator as an orchestrator for the rail portion of the value chain, and identified roles for supply chain providers within the project structure
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