PowerSwitch

While the government's decision over a new coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth in Kent still seems as far away as ever, on mainland Europe work is progressing towards a more advanced wave of coal fired plants.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/7958891.stm

For me, the key points are in last 2 sentences:

There is a problem though. It will be at least 10 years before CCS technology is ready to be used on a full sized power station. If Kingsnorth does get the go-ahead, the best that can be hoped for is a future addition.

Something for Ed Milliband to bear in mind......

If there was such a thing as governments being serious about combating climate change, CCS would be being researched and developed with a view to retrofitting older stations.

As much university research is funded by industry, I can't see this getting much support; there's no money in it.

Anyway, I think CCS is a red herring, keeping people thinking that something eventually will be done and all their energy is expended in the various battles.

While these guys are arguing about 'solutions', it means they don't have to think about reductions.

"at least 10 years before CCS technology is ready"
That'll be the same kind of years as the one used in phrases like fusion power will be ready in forty years. Like chasing the end of the rainbow, it always stays just as far ahead.

[quote="Mark"]

RGR wrote:
It'll be longer then that before they figure out what then to do with the CO2.

Uh ? Knowing what to do with the CO2 and being able to implement this "what to do" is precisely what CCS is all about RGR.

Alain75 wrote:

RGR wrote:
It'll be longer then that before they figure out what then to do with the CO2.

Uh ? Knowing what to do with the CO2 and being able to implement this "what to do" is precisely what CCS is all about RGR.

Forgive him/her; he/she's an oil ex-spurt and so can't knowledgeably comment on matters outside his field.

[quote="Alain75"]

[quote="emordnilap"]

RGR wrote:

emordnilap wrote:

Alain75 wrote: Uh ? Knowing what to do with the CO2 and being able to implement this "what to do" is precisely what CCS is all about RGR.

Forgive him/her; he/she's an oil ex-spurt and so can't knowledgeably comment on matters outside his field.

Name anyone else on this site who has actually transported CO2 to a location, pumped liquid or gaseous CO2 down a wellbore, under thousands of pounds of pressure, designed such a procedure and its requisite hardware, supervised the operation, and made sure everyone still had their fingers and toes at the end of the job, on multiple occasions, spanning onshore operating conditions in various topographies?

Just one will do.

When they show up, we'll have a discussion about the particulars and the peanut gallery can watch...maybe you'll learn something.

I farted in the car whilst driving into town the other day, does that count?

Europe claims leadership on CCS science:
http://www.edie.net/news/news_story.asp?src=nl&id=16185


Scientists from around the world gathered in Venice this week to present progress in research in the field of carbon capture and storage. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) aims to take emissions from energy generation and pump them back into the geological void left by the extraction of oil and gas, effectively locking the greenhouse gas underground so that it does not impact on the atmosphere. The event, hosted by European scientific network CO2GeoNet, showcased the latest research into the viability of CCS as a method to reduce carbon emissions on a large scale.

As well as addressing the general issues on technological progress the gathering looked at what has been learnt about possible leakage and how far CCS can help with the recovery of hard-to-reach oil and natural gas. Dr Nick Riley, head of science policy, Europe at the British Geological Survey & President of CO2GeoNet said: "Europe is leading the world in setting up a regional regulatory framework that will ensure CO2 capture and storage is conducted safely and eligible under the European Emissions Trading Scheme". By bringing together research from a number of different disciplines, CO2GeoNet believes it has contributed to a comprehensive understanding of CO2 storage which will enable policymakers to progress towards CCS implementation.

Research and development carried out by CO2GeoNet scientists provides the scientific basis to the application of the new European Directive on the Geological Storage of CO2. Isabelle Czernichowski-Lauriol, project manager at Bureau de Recherches Geologiques et Minieres, France & network manager of CO2GeoNet said: "The most successful result of this EC-founded Network of Excellence is the transformation of CO2GeoNet into a legal entity, a scientific association under French law. "CO2GeoNet has become the European scientific authority on the geological storage of CO2, needed to accelerate the deployment of and build confidence in the full range of CO2 storage technologies".

CCS can help with the recovery of hard-to-reach oil and natural gas.

Ok, so let's get this clear in our minds. We might, eventually, capture a tiny part of the CO2 from the world's coal burn. We will use it to help with the recovery of hard-to-reach oil and natural gas, which we will burn without any thought of CCS.

Is this?

RGR wrote: The problem is, what do you do with the CO2 once you've got it in a tank on location? THATS the actual problem, the rest is inconsequential from any practical perspective.

Ok maybe, not an expert on the question at all but can very well understand that the storage aspect is a hard bit, but I thought that was precisely the reason for having an "S" in the CCS acronym in the first place

[quote="Alain75"]

Thanks RGR - good and useful post

[quote="RogerCO"]