RWE announces plans to progress three new carbon capture projects including developing proposals to deploy capture technology at its Staythorpe Power Station
RWE, the UK’s leading electricity generator, has announced plans to progress three new carbon capture projects as it leads the way towards helping decarbonise UK power.
Within the plan, RWE is developing proposals to deploy capture technology at its Staythorpe Power Station.
The project would enable the long term generation of 1.7 gigawatts (GW) of decarbonised, secure, flexible power, by capturing approximately 4 Mt/year of CO2 per year the equivalent of, removing 800,000 petrol cars from the road.
As operators of the largest fleet of gas fired power stations in the UK and a leading renewables generator, RWE considers carbon capture and storage (CCS) to be a viable solution for delivering decarbonised, reliable, and dispatchable power generation, whilst supporting the UK’s target of decarbonising its power system by 2035.
As well as being key to the UK’s long term energy security, the three proposed CCS projects will play a key part in helping RWE achieve its own global ambition to be carbon neutral by 2040 – targets aligned with the Paris Agreement.
Tom Glover, UK Country Chairman for RWE, said: “In order to decarbonise the power sector, support security of supply and enable large scale industrial decarbonisation, it is important that clean gas generation projects are developed.
“Carbon capture can support the expansion of the other renewable and low carbon technologies that RWE is a leader in deploying, by providing energy security through firm and flexible provision of electricity that is not reliant on weather. I am pleased to announce our plans for three UK carbon capture projects, representing an important step in our progression towards decarbonising our existing gas fleet.”
The Staythorpe project could support new job creation in the local area and provide millions of pounds of new investment and supply chain opportunities to the local economy. It is part of a development partnership with Harbour Energy, which is proposing the Viking CCS (formerly V Net Zero) CO2 capture, transport, and storage network.
If the project is progressed, it would enable CO2 to be effectively transported and stored in offshore depleted gas wells. Options for the capture of CO2 to be utilised in carbon-reliant industries such as shipping and manufacturing are being investigated.
More information about the project will be available over the coming months including community information events, for information about RWE’s decarbonisation projects click here.
Fiona Auty, RWE Generation, Technology Development, said: “We are pleased to announce our plans for Staythorpe carbon capture project. The project will support decarbonisation of the power sector, support security of supply, and large scale industrial decarbonisation. RWE is one of the largest offshore wind developers, with an ambitious pipeline of 2.6GW (RWE pro rata share 1.3GW), carbon capture can support the expansion of offshore wind providing energy security when the wind is low and there is no sun.”
RWE is currently progressing initial environmental surveys and preparing information in order to apply to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Track 2 Phase 2 cluster sequencing funding application process. This is dedicated to carbon capture projects in close proximity to carbon capture storage or transport facilities.
The Staythorpe carbon capture initiative is being developed by RWE as one of three new 'carbon capture projects across the UK, which aim to provide a viable solution to delivering reliable and dispatchable power stations, whilst supporting the UK’s target of a net zero energy industry by 2035.
In addition to Staythorpe, the other projects are at RWE’s existing station at Pembroke in Wales and a new-build gas fired power station with carbon capture at Stallingborough. All three are close to proposed CO2 networks or have access to shipping facilities, which would enable the CO2 to be safely transported and stored. Together, the projects would form an important part of a robust and comprehensive energy network that ensures the UK has stable and secure generation whenever it is needed.
