UKCCSC News 27 March 2009

Hi Folks,

First, an apparently happy ending to the EU CCS funding saga. The funding seems to have diminished a little since reported in February, but what’s 0.2 billion EUR between friends?

“EU Govts Agree On EUR5 Billion To Boost Energy, Internet Grids.” Easy Bourse (Mar 20)

“Another EUR1.05 billion would go to carbon capture and storage projects, which use a new technology to catch the carbon dioxide emitted and store it underground, in seven countries, including the U.K., the Netherlands and Poland.”

https://www.easybourse.com/bourse-actualite/marches/updateeu-govts-agree-on-eur5-billion-to-boost-637759

A bit more detail from a UK perspective:

“There will be £984 million allocated to carbon capture and storage projects – including £168 million assistance split between four coal-powered plants in the UK, at Kingsnorth, Longannet, Tilbury and Hatfield.”

“The UK’s projects will all involve post-combustion CCS technology, except for Powerfuel Power’s Hatfield project, which will see pre-combustion gasification technology.”

https://newenergyfocus.com/do/ecco.py/view_item?listid=1&listcatid=32&listitemid=2403§ion=Europe

2) E.ON Chief Executive Paul Golby stepped into the limelight recently (Guardian, 17 Mar):

“For me it is clear there will be worldwide coal-fuelled growth in energy supply and that CCS is the most important technology in the fight against climate change. CCS is by no means the only low-carbon technology we are investing in, but it’s the most important. Without it, it really is game over.”

https://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/mar/17/eon-carbon-capture-kingsnorth

3) I hope Mr Golby is the patient sort, since the decision on E.ON’s Kingsnorth coal-fired powerstation isn’t due anytime soon.

“Mr. Mike O’Brien [UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change]: Decisions on any applications for new coal-fired power stations, including the only current application (by E.ON UK plc […]) will follow the conclusion of both the consultation on carbon capture readiness and the planned new consultation on a new framework for coal-fired power stations.” Hansard (25 Mar)

So now the EU have agreed to fund something that the UK won’t give planning permission for anytime soon?

https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090325/text/90325w0031.htm#09032563007694

4) Not only can’t the Americans distinguish metres from feet, they can’t add up either, apparently:

“Maths mistake sidelined FutureGen project” Royal Society of Chemistry (17 Mar)

“Congress’ non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) has just released a report blaming a mathematical error for FutureGen’s cancellation, and now the new DOE director is considering reviving the programme.”

Cynics might suggest the ‘error’ was politically motivated, fortunately there are no cynics here.

https://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2009/March/17030901.asp

5) Ever suspected the UK isn’t really doing much for CCS? Read on:

“UK government invests just £6.4m in CCS since 2004” Business Green (11 Mar)

“The figures were released by the department of innovation universities and skills (Dius) and the department of energy and climate change (Decc) this month and show how far the UK still has to go if it wants to be a world leader in the technology.”

“It [Tech. Strat. Board] has spent £5.2m on one programme of CCS projects and some £650,000 on another.”

Is the latter UKCCSC?

“Last month it also announced a further investment of £15m in CCS R&D, under the DECC programme, but again no money has yet been spent.”

https://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2238238/government-invested-ccs-date

6A) There seems to be a CCS meeting every month, if only they built CCS-schemes as rapidly…

Carbon Capture, Storage and Transport Summit 2009, June 17, London

https://www.iqpc.com/ShowEvent.aspx?id=173566

6B) A much better holiday (with a correspondingly larger carbon footprint) can be had in Vancouver at the AAPG/SEG/SPE Hedberg Conference:

Geological Carbon Sequestration: Prediction and Verification, August 16/19

https://www.aapg.org/education/hedberg/vancouver/

6C) Or how about Berlin in May?

“CCS – Creating Affordable Technology for Commercial Use” 13-14 May

https://xweb.geos.ed.ac.uk/~aruther2/ccs-misc/ECC1-Conference-Brochure.pdf

6D) Or Regina (Canada) in September where they think that a photo of a plug-ugly hotel is an attraction?

12th Meeting of The International Post-Combustion CO₂ Capture Network, organised by IEA GHG R&DP, 28 September – 1 October

https://www.co2captureandstorage.info/networks/Capturemtg12.htm

7) We don’t usually have job adverts but I guess this is OK, good for any post-docs left lingering as UKCCSC sinks slowly into the sunset?

Carbon Capture Specialist, Mott MacDonald

“The successful candidate will work in interdisciplinary project teams on a range of assignments covering carbon capture and storage on coal, gas-fired and capture-ready plant”

https://www.careerstructure.com/JobSeeking/Carbon-Capture-Specialist_job43659291

8) The Canadian Government has given funding to 8 CCS projects. Sounds like they are a good deal speedier than our lot.

“Funding was announced last April but it took the Natural Resources Department a year to choose from almost 40 proposals it received.” Lethbridge Herald (Mar 27)

“Ottawa will spend between $3 million and $30 million on each of the projects up to a total of $140 million.”

https://www.lethbridgeherald.com/content/view/44133/27/

9) Meanwhile, down-under, things are really moving.

“Australia opens bidding for undersea carbon plan” Reuters (27 Mar)

“Energy Minister Martin Ferguson said the release of greenhouse gas storage areas for commercial development was the world’s first and part of the government’s strategy to reduce its carbon emissions while maintaining economic growth.”

https://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKSYD37612020090327

10) And I couldn’t resist this one:

“Hungry shrimp eat climate change experiment” New Scientist (25 Mar)

https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16842-hungry-shrimp-eat-climate-change-experiment.html

That’s all Folks

Mark