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CO2 Capture and Storage and Clean Coal Technologies
[68 KB] CO2 Capture and Storage
CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS) is seen as one of the key technologies for cutting CO2 emissions from coal power plants: CO2 emissions are captured before entering the atmosphere and stored underground. In close co-operation with industries and Member States the EU presently supports the development of CCS in coal-fired power plants. The aim is to make zero emission power generation using CCS commercially feasible by 2020.
The 7th Research Framework Programme focuses on, inter alia, CCS as well as other clean coal projects.
Supporting CCS demonstration
Following from previous studies on data collection and the evaluation of CO2 storage sites in Europe, the EC is continuing the efforts to improve the method, quality and reliability of storage capacity assessment, and to establish a more consistent, comprehensive and open access database. This could be a first step towards publication of a European Storage Atlas to be regularly updated with the co-operation of Member States, which is one of the priorities identified by the European Inductrial Initiative on CCS.
The European Energy Programme for Recovery falls under the umbrella of the European Economic Recovery Plan as investment in energy projects is considered important for the economic recovery.
To support European CCS demonstration projects in general, the European Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) Demonstration Project Network was launched in autumn 2009. Its primary, initial aim is to enhance co-ordination between the earliest players involved in European CCS demonstration projects.
Additionally, the Directorate-General for Climate Action launched a call for proposals (NER300) for innovative CCS and renewable energy projects which closed on 9 February 2011. NER300 refers to the 300 million CO2 allowances available under the New Entrants Reserve of the EU Emissions Trading System.
Clean Coal Technologies
In general, clean coal technologies refer to two areas:
The first area is that of reducing the traditional pollutants emitted by coal combustion, such as SOx, NOx and particulates. The related technology has been developed. Such cleaning processes have been and are being installed in coal fired power plants in the Member States concerned.
The second area is that of the improvement of the conversion efficiency, in other words the energy efficiency of the conversion of coal into electricity.
Good progress has already been achieved, with today's best available technology allowing efficiency of up to 46% for hard coal plants and 43% for lignite plants.
It is the aim of the Clean Coal activity under FP7 to further raise these maximum efficiencies to above 50% through further R&D and better integration of components. The focus is not only on the two typical combustion techniques (the ultra supercritical pulverised coal plant (AD 700)), and the integrated gasification combined cycle plant (IGCC), but also on other combustion options, such as fluidised bed and oxyfuel.
Related documents
- Studies and reports
- Research and pilot projects
