3.3 Tackling power station emissions

The UK had traditionally relied on coal-fired power stations to deliver electricity. During the ‘dash for gas’ the output from gas-fired power stations increased and this delivered reduced CO₂ emissions as the gas-fired stations are more efficient and gas delivers more output for less CO₂. However, gas is also a finite source and the UK will soon be importing gas. Coal may, therefore, make a comeback and, currently, new stations have been announced.

The UK government has published a strategy document dealing with reducing carbon emissions from our fossil-fuelled power stations. It is entitled ‘A strategy for developing carbon abatement technologies for fossil fuel use’.

Page 4 explores the question ‘Is it so difficult to reduce fossil fuel consumption in the UK and worldwide?’

The report’s answer is that fossil fuel power generation will be needed for the foreseeable future, particularly because of increasing demand for electricity in developing countries. It projects very large increases in demand, particularly in China and India, which would require hundreds of new power stations that will be with us for 40 to 60 years. As such, there is a very real need to identify ways to reduce the carbon emissions from these stations.

Page 5 of the report considers carbon abatement technologies (CATs) in the section headed ‘What are CATs and what are their deployment prospects?’ and identifies three CATs that might be deployed:

• higher efficiency conversion processes

• fuel switching to lower carbon alternatives

• CO₂ capture and storage (CCS).

As the data indicate, potentially the most effective of these is the last one: CCS. This technology is not yet commercially developed, but the method of long-term storage has been identified.

To conclude this brief look at CCS, read the Guardian report entitled ‘New era for fossil fuels as first carbon capturing power plant begins work’. This is the first retrofit of CCS technology to an existing power plant and will provide an opportunity to test both the capture technology and the stability of the storage reservoir.