Samsung’s Carbon Capture Playbook 2025: From Megaprojects to Modular Dominance

Industry Adoption: How Samsung Is Executing a Two-Pronged Carbon Capture Strategy

Samsung’s approach to carbon capture has undergone a significant inflection point, evolving from a period of foundational development between 2021 and 2024 to aggressive commercial execution in 2025. Initially, the strategy was characterized by building internal capabilities and forming exploratory partnerships. Samsung Electronics established its own Carbon Capture Research Institute in 2021 and committed over $5 billion to environmental initiatives, earmarking carbon capture technology for its semiconductor plants starting in 2030. Externally, its subsidiaries like Samsung Engineering (now Samsung E&A) and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) signed a series of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and Joint Development Agreements (JDAs) with technology providers like Svante, BASF, and Baker Hughes to explore applications, particularly in the challenging maritime sector. This phase was about building a knowledge base and securing access to a portfolio of technologies, underscored by venture investments in innovators like Carbon Clean and CarbonCure.

Beginning in 2025, this foundational work has translated into a decisive, dual-pronged execution strategy. The first prong involves securing massive, world-scale EPC contracts that leverage Samsung’s traditional strengths. The flagship example is Samsung C&T’s KRW 1.9 trillion (approx. $1.3 billion) contract from QatarEnergy to build a facility capable of capturing 4.1 million tonnes of CO₂ annually. The second prong is a strategic pivot to standardized, modular systems aimed at lowering costs and accelerating deployment for a broader industrial base. Through global alliances with technology leaders like Carbon Clean and Svante, Samsung E&A is now focused on delivering prefabricated, skid-mounted carbon capture plants. This includes piloting Carbon Clean’s compact CycloneCC™ technology on an offshore FPSO with MODEC and securing a $475 million contract for a low-carbon ammonia plant in the US. This shift from exploration to a two-tiered execution model—giga-projects for energy majors and modular solutions for the wider industrial market—signals Samsung’s intent to not just participate in but dominate multiple segments of the carbon management value chain.

Table: Samsung’s Strategic Investments in Carbon Management

Table: Samsung’s Carbon Capture Partnership Ecosystem

Geographic Focus: Samsung’s Shift from Global Scouting to Strategic Execution

Between 2021 and 2024, Samsung’s geographic footprint in carbon capture was broad and exploratory, reflecting a global scouting mission for technology and market opportunities. Partnerships were established to target markets in Asia and the Middle East (Svante MoU), cross-border projects were explored with Malaysia (Shepherd CCS Project), and venture investments were placed in Canada (CarbonCure) and the UK (Carbon Clean). Internally, significant R&D was centered in its home market of South Korea. This period was defined by building a global network and gaining exposure to various regional dynamics without committing to large-scale capital projects in any single location outside of Korea.

In 2025, this strategy has crystallized into targeted execution in high-value energy hubs. The Middle East has emerged as a primary focus, cemented by Samsung C&T winning the massive $1.3 billion carbon capture project for QatarEnergy in Qatar. This single project establishes Samsung as a premier EPC contractor for giga-scale decarbonization in the world’s largest LNG-producing region. Simultaneously, Samsung E&A has made a definitive entry into the United States, a key market driven by policy incentives like the IRA, by securing the $475 million contract for a low-carbon ammonia plant in Indiana. Furthermore, the investment in Norway’s Nel and the offshore FPSO pilot with Japan’s MODEC signal a strategic focus on established and emerging clean energy hubs. The geographic strategy has clearly shifted from casting a wide net to landing major contracts in regions with robust energy infrastructure and strong project economics.

Technology Maturity: Samsung’s Drive from R&D to Commercial Deployment

From 2021 to 2024, Samsung’s activities were concentrated on the earlier stages of the technology readiness level (TRL) scale. This phase was dominated by pre-commercial validation and R&D. Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) received multiple Approvals in Principle (AiP) from classification societies for Onboard Carbon Capture (OCCS) and Floating CO2 Storage Unit (FCSU) designs. An AiP is a crucial but early-stage validation, confirming feasibility on paper before any physical construction. Partnerships with BASF and Svante were for feasibility studies and MoUs, respectively, aimed at evaluating and adapting technologies. Even the investment in Carbon Clean was to fund the scaling of its technology, with Samsung’s role being more of a strategic partner than an immediate deployer. The establishment of its own Carbon Capture Research Institute in 2021 further highlights this focus on foundational, internal R&D.

The year 2025 marks a clear and decisive pivot to technology commercialization and full-scale deployment. The abstract validation of AiPs has given way to tangible engineering contracts. The Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) contract with MODEC moves Carbon Clean’s CycloneCC technology from the lab to a real-world pilot on an operational FPSO, a critical step to de-risk its use in harsh offshore environments. The strategy has also scaled up to full commercial deployment. The QatarEnergy CCS project and the Wabash Valley Resources low-carbon ammonia plant are not pilots; they are large-scale commercial facilities with Samsung acting as the lead EPC contractor. The alliances with Carbon Clean and Svante have evolved from MoUs to joint development agreements aimed at producing standardized, “plug-and-play” modular products for the commercial market. The focus has shifted from “can it work?” to “let’s build it at scale.”

Table: SWOT Analysis of Samsung’s Carbon Capture Strategy

Forward-Looking Insights: What to Expect from Samsung in the Year Ahead

The data from 2025 clearly signals that Samsung is in a full-throttle execution phase, and its activities in the coming year will be critical tests of its strategy. Market actors should pay close attention to four key signals. First, the execution of the QatarEnergy CCS project will be the ultimate barometer of Samsung C&T’s ability to deliver giga-scale decarbonization infrastructure. Any updates on project milestones will be heavily scrutinized. Second, watch for the first commercial sales of modular systems stemming from the Carbon Clean and Svante alliances. Moving from partnership announcements to a backlog of orders for these prefabricated units will be the true validation of the modular strategy. Third, the results of the MODEC offshore pilot are pivotal. A successful demonstration of CycloneCC technology on an FPSO could unlock a significant and lucrative new market for decarbonizing floating production assets globally, likely triggering a wave of interest. Finally, monitor for further expansion in the US clean energy market. The $475 million low-carbon ammonia plant is a significant beachhead; expect Samsung E&A to leverage its Honeywell partnership to pursue additional projects in hydrogen, ammonia, and sustainable aviation fuel, especially as policy support remains strong. The overarching trend is a shift from strategic positioning to demonstrating project delivery and commercial traction. The year ahead will reveal how effectively Samsung can convert its well-laid plans into a profitable and dominant position in the global carbon capture market.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Samsung’s ‘two-pronged’ carbon capture strategy?
Samsung’s strategy involves two main approaches. The first is securing massive, world-scale Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contracts for custom-built carbon capture facilities, like the $1.3 billion project for QatarEnergy. The second is focusing on standardized, modular carbon capture systems, developed through partnerships with companies like Carbon Clean and Svante, to serve a broader industrial market with lower costs and faster deployment.

Who are some of Samsung’s key partners in its carbon capture initiatives?
Samsung has built a strong ecosystem of partners. Key technology providers include Carbon Clean and Svante, who supply innovative modular and solid sorbent capture technologies. Samsung has also formed alliances with energy and engineering firms like QatarEnergy for large-scale projects, MODEC for offshore applications, and Honeywell for a broad range of clean energy technologies. Strategic investments in companies like CarbonCure (CO2 in concrete) and Nel (hydrogen) also complement its core strategy.

How has Samsung’s carbon capture strategy changed since 2021?
Samsung’s strategy has evolved from a foundational R&D and exploration phase (2021-2024) to an aggressive commercial execution phase (2025 onwards). The earlier period was characterized by forming exploratory partnerships (MoUs), making venture investments, and building internal R&D capabilities. In 2025, the focus has decisively shifted to execution. This includes securing major EPC contracts for giga-projects and formalizing partnerships to deliver standardized, modular products to the market.

Which geographic regions are most important for Samsung’s carbon capture projects?
While its initial exploration was global, Samsung’s 2025 execution phase is focused on high-value energy hubs. The Middle East is a primary target, highlighted by the massive $1.3 billion project in Qatar. The United States is another key market, driven by policy incentives like the IRA, where Samsung has secured a contract for a low-carbon ammonia plant. This represents a strategic shift from casting a wide net to landing major contracts in regions with strong project economics.

What is the significance of Samsung’s move into modular carbon capture systems?
Samsung’s focus on modular systems, through alliances with Carbon Clean and Svante, is a strategic pivot designed to dominate a different segment of the market. Unlike giga-projects, these prefabricated, ‘plug-and-play’ units aim to lower capital costs by up to 50% and accelerate deployment. This makes carbon capture accessible to a much broader industrial base beyond major energy producers, potentially unlocking a larger, higher-volume market for Samsung.