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Today sees the opening of the UK’s largest carbon capture (CC) pilot plant at SSE’s Ferrybridge power station in West Yorkshire. The project, which is a collaboration between SSE, UK based Doosan Power Systems and Vattenfall, supported by the Technology Strategy Board, DECC and Northern Way, is the first of its size to be integrated into a live power plant in the UK. As such, this represents a major step forward in proving that carbon capture technology is viable on a commercial scale.

The plant bridges the gap between the various pilot-scale trials that are under way and the commercial-scale demonstration projects envisaged by the UK government, as it captures 100 tonnes of carbon dioxide per day from the equivalent five megawatts (MW) of coal-fired power generating capacity. SSE Chief Executive, Ian Marchant is keen to stress the significance of Ferrybridge in the broader context of the UK energy industry: “The development of viable carbon capture technology is central to the UK’s climate change and energy security objectives. We believe projects such as this will be absolutely crucial in establishing when and how the technology can be developed. What we have here today at Ferrybridge will provide an invaluable source of reference and learning for the industry as a whole. This pilot project is all about carbon capture on coal, however if we are to be successful in reaching our carbon reduction targets, we also need it on gas, which is why SSE is seeking to develop a larger, commercial scale, demonstration at our Peterhead gas-fired station.” Industry regulators such as the Environment Agency and the Health and Safety Executive will also be able to learn from the project, enabling the UK to move closer to widespread deployment of CCS.

Rt. Hon. Chris Huhne MP, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change describes the significance of the CCPilot100+ project: “This flagship test programme at Ferrybridge represents an important milestone in the UK’s plans to develop CCS and provides a critical bridge to meeting our long term aim of cost competitive CCS deployment by the 2020s. “This is the first operating carbon capture plant attached to a power station at this scale in the UK and has benefited from more than £6 million in public money. This investment will be invaluable to the wider commercial scale deployment of CCS by reducing uncertainty, driving down costs and developing the UK supply chain and skills.” Local MP, Yvette Cooper appreciates the local impact of a project this size: “This is a pioneering project supporting high skilled jobs here at Ferrybridge. Developing carbon capture is critical to cutting carbon emissions and this plant, supported by £6m announced by the last government, could lead the way across the world. This state of the art technology is a vital opportunity for protecting the environment and for developing British science and technology.'

Jean-Michel Aubertin, Chief Executive Officer at Doosan Power Systems, says :“The CCPilot100+ plant which we have designed, built and commissioned using our advanced amine scrubbing technology is an essential step in the optimisation and proving of post-combustion capture of CO2, and will be the most significant project of its kind in the UK.” Dr. Karl Bergman, Vice-President and Head of Vattenfall R&D points to the importance of carbon capture to the environment: 'The Ferrybridge plant is an important project to Vattenfall as it will give us valuable insights on how CCS can be moved forward, as well as to validate our performance assumptions from an R&D perspective. Vattenfall is convinced that carbon capture is a major mitigation means when facing the challenges of climate change.”