17.08.09

Experts from leading energy firms argue that new gas plants should fit Carbon Capture and Storage technology, reports Envido.

They argue that new gas plants should be subject to the same rules that force new coal plants to fit carbon capture and storage technology. The fear is that the government’s new Carbon Capture and Storage policy will lead to a boom in the construction of gas plants which will not have to bury their carbon emissions.

Vincent de Rivaz, from EDF, said the rule of forcing new coal plants to fit the expensive and largely untried Carbon Capture and Storage technology should be consistent and apply to everyone including gas plants. Joan MacNaughton, senior vice-president at Alstom, responded that fitting Carbon Capture and Storage technology to new coal plants is the priority as they produce more carbon emissions.

As previously reported by Envido, Ed Miliband announced in April that new coal plants built in Britain would have to capture about a quarter of their carbon emissions. The government launched a consultation on its new Carbon Capture and Storage policy, which closes early next month. Once Carbon Capture and Storage technology has been technically and commercially proved, which could take at least a decade, all the plants' carbon emissions will have to be captured.