BlackRock has made a bold €1 billion investment into a carbon capture and storage (CCS) venture spearheaded by Italian energy giant Eni, signaling a major vote of confidence in the future of decarbonization technology.
The deal centers on Eni’s carbon management business, which aims to build one of Europe’s largest CO₂ storage hubs in the North Sea. By acquiring a significant stake in the platform, BlackRock is placing a long-term bet on the viability and scalability of CCS as a solution to reduce industrial emissions and help hard-to-abate sectors meet climate targets.
Eni’s CCS division is part of its broader transition strategy, with the goal of storing up to 10 million tons of CO₂ per year by 2030. The North Sea project, currently under development, leverages depleted offshore gas fields as permanent carbon storage reservoirs.
“Carbon capture is no longer a fringe concept—it’s a central pillar of the net-zero agenda,” said Eni executives, welcoming BlackRock’s participation as a sign of growing institutional confidence in the space.
For BlackRock, the investment aligns with its climate-focused infrastructure portfolio and increasing appetite for projects that offer both environmental impact and stable returns. It also supports Europe’s broader ambitions to become a global leader in CCS deployment, especially as pressure mounts to decarbonize heavy industry.
The €1 billion partnership could catalyze further private-sector investment into the sector, as other energy majors and governments look to replicate similar large-scale CCS initiatives.
