RWE nPower muscles in on UK carbon capture & storage competition.
RWE npower, which was not included in a shortlist of three consortia for the government's competition earlier this year, has bought a 75% stake in the Peel Energy group that was shortlisted. The group, which also includes Danish firm DONG Energy, have now announced a joint venture partnership to set up a new "cleaner supercritical coal-fired power station" by 2014. It is proposing to transport captured carbon from the plant to disused gas fields in the North Sea.
As with all the projects within the UK demonstration project, the group must use "post-combustion" technology to capture 90% of the greenhouse gases from the coal plant. This technology involves carbon dioxide being scrubbed from the emissions after coal has been burned to generate energy.
The UK competition currently has the Peel group shortlisted along with proposals from E.ON for a plant at Kingsnorth, Kent, and ScottishPower, which is bidding to develop a plant at Longannet, Fife. It is thought the successful bidder could gain as much as £1 billion of public funding to support a 300MW to 400MW plant.
RWE npower
German-owned RWE, which had been considering legal action to force the government to include it within the CCS competition, has already commissioned a test facility at its Didcot coal plant in Oxfordshire to look at post-combustion CCS.
The firm is due to begin construction of a CCS pilot plant at its Aberthaw coal-fired power station in Wales next year, which is scheduled to be completed in 2010.
RWE npower chief executive Andrew Duff said: "Energy companies cannot commit to commercial investment in CCS on a new power station until the technology is proven and seen to be economically feasible. This could be a major barrier to the construction of much needed new build power plant and so this project is vital to unblocking the potential for coal to play its part in the UK's long term energy mix."
Npower said "clean" coal generation was "vital" for energy security, affordability and to tackle the environmental impact of energy in the UK as older power stations close. The firm also pointed out that the development of the technology at an industrial scale could see the UK industry exporting its expertise abroad.
DONG
Danish state-owned DONG Energy also has CCS experience already, through its CCS pilot plant at the 400MW Esbjerg power plant on Denmark's North Sea coast. This is Europe's largest facility to date to capture its carbon dioxide emissions, using solvents to remove the greenhouse gas from the plant's flue gas since 2005.
Bent Christensen, DONG Energy's senior vice president, said: "We are looking forward to working with RWE npower as part of this new partnership concerning CCS technology. Our combined expertise and commitment to this technology represent a strong and compelling proposition."
Mr Christensen said his company was attracted to the UK by its "proactive attitude" towards CCS technology, adding: "Our engineers are developing carbon capture techniques, because we see this as the technology of the future."
Peel
Peel Energy is part of Manchester-based property and infrastructure company Peel Holdings, and has a development portfolio of 3GW of generation capacity, including a 450MW wind portfolio and a 95MW energy-from-waste plant proposed for Ince in Cheshire. The company also has ambitions to develop a large tidal range project in the Mersey estuary.
The company's chairman, Owen Michaelson, said DONG Energy and RWE npower were demonstrating confidence in Peel Energy's bid for the UK CCS competition. He said: "We are determined to be at the forefront of developing the know-how to capture and permanently store CO2 from coal-fired power stations. We have always seen this as an immense challenge requiring a very strong and wide ranging partnership. We believe we have now created the foundation of that partnership with Dong Energy and RWE npower and we thoroughly look forward to working with them and the government towards a cleaner way of generating energy for future generations."
Click here to make an online enquiry regarding our services.
or call 01603 864796 (during office hours)
-
British are "bored" with Climate Change
A new energy report suggests that British people are less environmentally conscious than they were five years ago.
4 out of 10 britons take no action at all to reduce their household carbon emissions, and twice as many people are now "bored" by talk of climate change as in 2005. Experts warn that green fatigue is one of the major reasons as to why there are more cars on the roads, more planes in the sky and no reductions in the mountain of packaging waste. The report reveals that too few people are making an effort to reduce their household CO2 emissions and environmentalists believe the recession is further undermining public commitment.
The report, by market researchers Mintel, shows that many of Britain's 26 million homes fail to make simple adjustments such as switching off lights, turning down thermostats, and switching off appliances rather than leaving them on standby. The findings also reveal that people are less willing to spend money on energy-efficient appliances than they were five years ago. Analysts believe the recession together with a backlash against "extreme" environmentalist pressure has reduced people's enthusiasm to combat climate change.
The report also found that resistance to saving the planet was greater among men; one in four said they think there is too much concern over the environment, compared with one in six women.
-
More information on the 2016 definition of "Zero Carbon".
Housing Minister, Grant Shapps announced additional information about the new definition of "Zero Carbon".
The Government plans to investigate setting up a community energy fund which will be used to pay for district heating and renewable energy schemes.
Developers who pay into the fund will not have to install onsite renewables or microgeneration equipment. Many developers have welcomed the flexibility of paying into a fund rather than grappling with renewables on each site.
However, the full definition of 'zero-carbon' has once again been delayed. This is despite a pre-election promise to get the definition of zero carbon finalised “within weeks” of getting into office.
The new Government Housing Minister has recently announced that the coalition will review the level of on-site renewables required - before publishing the final definition of the standard, which all new homes will have to reach after 2016.
In the announcement, the Minister also re-affirmed his commitment to all new homes being zero-carbon from 2016 and confirmed the introduction of the ‘Fabric Energy Efficiency Standard' which requires a minimum standard in relation to insulation levels and air tightness and thermal bridging in buildings.
Zero carbon is required of all Code for Sustainable Homes level six homes. Clarification of what zero carbon will mean is still to be decided.
If you require assistance with your Code for Sustainable Homes level requirements, contact Ecowise - we are a fully accredited Code for Sustainable Homes assessment organisation.
-
Pilot Tidal Energy Scheme for North Wales Coast
Conwy County Borough Council has backed plans for a pilot tidal energy scheme off the North Wales Coast.
The £150 million scheme at Llanddulas in North Wales would provide a testing facility for turbine designers and manufacturers, and assess the environmental impact of turbines.
The project was given approval by the council as part of a strategic regeneration strategy for the Conwy coast, prepared by consultant Capita Symonds.
Paul Terry, Capita Symonds, said: "Tidal power will play a key role in providing a sustainable energy source for future generations. The North Wales coast is an ideal place for such a scheme as it’s blessed with a good tidal range and suitable ocean depth." He added that the project could also help protect the coast from rising sea levels, storm surges and coastal erosion.
The regeneration strategy also calls for seven new visitor centres costing £30m should be built at key locations stretching from Conwy to Rhuddlan. But North Wales Tourism chairman Chris Jackson raised doubts over whether the proposals could realistically be funded in the current economic climate. The council’s approval now means that Capita Symonds will seek funding for feasibility studies and investigations to develop a business case for the scheme.
