One step closer to carbon capture & storage

Yorkshire & Humber is closer to winning €180m funding for the UK’s first-ever carbon capture & storage (CCS) project. The scheme would create thousands of jobs and put the region firmly at the leading edge of global environmental management technology.

Why are we concerned about CCS?

Yorkshire & Humber has good reason to be ambitious about managing carbon emissions. Our region produces 13% of the UK’s greenhouse gases—not quite off-set by our 7.5% contribution to the national GVA. We pump 90m tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere every year, costing the national economy £22.5bn per year.

Who is being considered for the funding?

Powerfuel plc is proposing its 900 megawatt Hatfield site, near Doncaster. It has already beaten off rival schemes from E ON at Kingsnorth; RWE at Tilbury; and Scottish Power at Longannet. Hatfield’s location is ideal for developing CCS because of its proximity to a large number of power stations as well as depleted gas fields in the North Sea (where carbon can be safely stored).

What does the project involve?

The CCS technology used at Hatfield will involve liquefying carbon dioxide emissions by burning fossil fuels and then pumping it out to fill depleted gas fields under the North Sea

Where is the funding coming from?

The money, which is being offered by the European Commission, forms part of the European Economic Recovery Package for the development and demonstration of a CCS technology. The recommendation requires approval from Members of the European Parliament.

What are the benefits of this scheme for our region?

• Securing the first project is a vital step in developing a region-wide CCS cluster
• Within 15 years, we could cut CO2 emissions by up to 60 million tonnes in our region
• This level of EU funding to the region could unlock considerable further investment from the private sector
• A CCS project at Hatfield will ensure that our region leads the way in clean-coal technology
• The project will bring huge economic benefits to our region, including the creation of thousands of jobs
• It will create an infrastructure which could attract energy-intensive industries to our region.
• The scheme will catapult our region onto the global stage as a leader in demonstrating commercial-scale CCS.

Why is our region keen to be involved in CCS?

Yorkshire Forward believes there is no better place than Yorkshire & Humber to do CCS: nowhere else in Europe has such a large number of power stations so close to safe carbon storage areas in depleted gas fields. Also, our region has access to proven technology and engineering skills. We have the potential to store up to 10% of the UK’s carbon emissions.

Who else is behind the project?

It is the result of combined work by the government, Yorkshire Forward, Powerfuel and the National Grid, with the support of Doncaster MBC. Yorkshire Forward has been working closely with Powerfuel and the National Grid to develop part of scheme to build a network of CO2 pipelines linking power stations and major industrial installations across Yorkshire and Humberside.

Is this going on anywhere else in Europe?

Five other European sites have been selected for CCS funding—in Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Italy. The funding will come from the European Commission’s Energy Programme Recovery Fund, which is allocating €1.05bn to CCS, as well as €1.75bn earmarked for better international energy links.