Denmark pauses North Sea storage tender

Second-round tender put on hold amid uncertainty over Danish state’s shareholding in future licences

Denmark has postponed its second-round tender for North Sea offshore carbon storage exploration licences amid discussions over the level of state ownership in future projects. The tender had been scheduled to open on 15 August. The Danish Energy Agency (DEA) expects to set a new starting date for the tender round  later in 2023. The Danish state holds a 20% stake in first-round licences awarded in 2022, but the government’s official CCS strategy leaves the door open to a higher state participation in second-round licences. “Before the second tender round can be initiated, a clarification must be reached regarding whether the state participation share in future licences should be higher,” the