First geo-pressure plant to start up in UK
29 Jan 2007
BOC's hydrogen production plant on Teesside will see the first installation in the UK of an electricity generation facility based on geo-pressure energy. Implementation of the £1.6-million unit is due to begin in April, with electricity production starting later in the year.
The geo-pressure plant will utilise the intellectual property of Bath-based 2CO. This harnesses the energy currently lost at pressure reduction stations (PRSs) when gas pressure is reduced to a more practicable level as it reaches consumers, using it to drive turbines for electricity production.
Two geo-pressure units will be incorporated into the pipeline from the North Sea that supplies natural gas feedstock to the BOC plant in North Tees. They will be capable of generating 500-700kW, sufficient to satisfy all BOC's on-site needs.
The BOC project has been at the design stage for several months but is now going ahead following the technology being awarded formal renewable accreditation by Ofgem. 2OC's CEO Andrew Mercer told PE that the technology is only commercially viable currently with Renewable Obligation Certificates, and it is only likely to become cost-competitive with other forms of power generation in the medium to longer term.
According to 2OC, potentially there are 2,000 PRSs in the UK capable of generating 1GW of electricity. To achieve 1GW would require an investment of an estimated £1.4 billion and is achievable, it says, by 2015. 300MW could be available by 2010.
2OC expects future UK geo-pressure installations will be at various National Grid sites and large manufacturing plants. It is also looking for business overseas and Mercer said a large contract is close to being signed.
The geo-pressure plant will utilise the intellectual property of Bath-based 2CO. This harnesses the energy currently lost at pressure reduction stations (PRSs) when gas pressure is reduced to a more practicable level as it reaches consumers, using it to drive turbines for electricity production.
Two geo-pressure units will be incorporated into the pipeline from the North Sea that supplies natural gas feedstock to the BOC plant in North Tees. They will be capable of generating 500-700kW, sufficient to satisfy all BOC's on-site needs.
The BOC project has been at the design stage for several months but is now going ahead following the technology being awarded formal renewable accreditation by Ofgem. 2OC's CEO Andrew Mercer told PE that the technology is only commercially viable currently with Renewable Obligation Certificates, and it is only likely to become cost-competitive with other forms of power generation in the medium to longer term.
According to 2OC, potentially there are 2,000 PRSs in the UK capable of generating 1GW of electricity. To achieve 1GW would require an investment of an estimated £1.4 billion and is achievable, it says, by 2015. 300MW could be available by 2010.
2OC expects future UK geo-pressure installations will be at various National Grid sites and large manufacturing plants. It is also looking for business overseas and Mercer said a large contract is close to being signed.
