Can you make carbon capture and storage a reality?

Vattenfall believes Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) will be commercially viable by 2020.

CO₂ tanks at Swarze pumpe, in Germany.

The components involved in CCS already work, but the capture, transportation and storage techniques have yet to be integrated in a way that delivers large-scale CO₂ abatement in commercial electricity generation.

 Making CCS a reality will require:

• Demonstrating that existing components can work together at a large scale.
• Improving the effectiveness of the technology so that it can compete commercially given a realistic CO₂ price.
• Establishing societal, legal, and economic conditions that support large-scale implementation.

Vattenfall has a direct role in realising the first two objectives, and we are on pace to have a working, competitive technology ready in 2020. We support the third objective by working with stakeholders in governments, communities, and industry to build the necessary societal acceptance and legal and regulatory frameworks.

Phase 1: Pilot plants and investigation of Storage

Vattenfall began testing the oxyfuel combustion method at the Schwarze Pumpe pilot plant in Germany 2008. This pilot has captured more than 90% of the CO₂ produced, and the rate is increasing. In 2009 the construction of another pilot plant began at Buggenum in the Netherlands, where pre-combustion technology will be tested.

Vattenfall is also investigating several approaches to storage. We plan to inject CO₂ from Schwarze Pumpe into the depleted Altmark gas field, and we are taking part in an EU co-funded research project storing CO₂ in a saline aquifer in Ketzin. We are also investigating larger-scale solutions for storing emissions from demonstration and commercial plants, including Birkholz and Neutrebbin east of Berlin and Vedsted in Denmark.

The projects in Germany all await the ratification of national legislation that will allow them to go forward. Just as important is acceptance among populations surrounding storage sites, and appropriate legal frameworks for site monitoring and safety regulation.

Phase 2: Demonstration plants

Vattenfall is developing demonstration options in Jänschwalde, Germany, and at the Magnum plant in the Netherlands. These plants will scale up the oxyfuel and pre-combustion technologies tested at our pilot plants.

At Magnum, three natural gas combined-cycle plants will be built initially, with a second phase adding coal gasification, co-combustion of biomass and pre-combustion capture of CO₂ for a flexible fuel set-up.

Phase 3: Commercial plants in operation

The goal is to develop commercial concepts for carbon capture and storage at coal-fi red power plants by 2020. Among these will be a full-scale CCS operation at the Nordjyllandsværket plant in Denmark – this will replace the planned demonstration project, which has been postponed due to financial restrictions.

Fact Box: Demonstration plant at Jänschwalde, Germany

• Technology: Oxyfuel
• Capacity: 385 MW
• Capture rate: Expected 90%+
• Emissions avoided: 2.7 MT/year
• Cost: €1.5 billion. Supported by €180 million from EU’s Energy Programme for Recovery (EEPR)