RWE proposes carbon capture projects at three UK gas plants

Electricity generator RWE has announced plans to progress new carbon capture projects at three of its gas power stations in the UK.

The company is currently testing the feasibility of options to retrofit carbon capture technology at its existing combined cycle gas power stations at Pembroke and Staythorpe.

It is also developing proposals for a new carbon-capture, gas-fired power station at Stallingborough, close to the Humber Estuary.

According to RWE, if all three projects are progressed, they would collectively secure up to 4.7GW of flexible capacity, enough to power 8.1 million typical UK homes. Furthermore, 11 million tonnes of CO2 will be captured annually.

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The projects are now preparing to apply to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Track 2 Phase 2 cluster sequencing funding process, which is dedicated to carbon capture projects close to carbon capture storage or transport facilities.

The projects aim to decarbonise neighbouring industrial clusters, as well as help RWE achieve its own global ambition to be carbon neutral by 2040.

Tom Glover, UK country chair for RWE, commented in a statement: “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.

"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.”

Carbon capture: Big cost, big reward

All three projects are close to proposed CO2 networks. RWE has developed partnerships with industrial clusters South Wales Industrial Cluster (SWIC) and Viking CCS to ensure necessary transportation and storage options are available. Where possible, utilisation options for the captured CO2 will be targeted.

RWE operates one of the largest fleets of gas-fired power stations in the UK and considers carbon capture and storage (CCS) to be a viable solution for delivering decarbonised, reliable, and dispatchable power generation.