UK to build Europe's largest carbon capture pilot plant
18 Mar 2010
London – The UK government is to invest over £6m in a new £20m project that will see the construction and demonstration of Europe’s largest post combustion carbon capture pilot plan. Scottish and Southern Energy, Vattenfall and Doosan Babcock will jointly develop the facility, with support from three UK universities. The project is being co-funded by the Technology Strategy Board, the Department for Energy and Climate Change and the Northern Way partnership.
The project will see the CO2 capture technology installed at SSE’s Ferrybridge Power Station in Yorkshire. After a one-year construction and commissioning phase, a two-year research and test programme will then take place, from early in 2011 demonstrating Doosan Babcock’s carbon capture technologies. University researchers will, meanwhile, seek to gain operational experience, carry out research and build the UK’s skills capacity in this sector.
According to Brian Smith, SSE’s director of thermal development, the scale of the project º– the equivalent 5MW of coal-fired power generating capacity producing 100 tonnes of carbon dioxide per day – “bridges the gap between the various laboratory-scale trials that are under way and the larger-scale projects envisaged by the UK government.”
Likewise, TSB chief executive, Iain Gray, added: “If the UK is to lead in the supply of such technology, it needs to be developed, installed and demonstrated here on a significant scale. This project provides a vital link between research and commercialisation for an important technology that can be both installed at new coal and gas power plants and retrofitted to existing plants.”
The project launch coincided with energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband’s publication of the UK government’s Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Industrial Strategy. This sets out how the UK can make the most from its knowledge and skills in engineering, geology and the subsea sector to become a centre for CCS innovation and business.
(Companies and other organisations seeking further information about the TSB’s funding competitions should visit the Competitions page of its website - www.innovateuk.org)
