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Introduction to Carbon Abatement Technologies (CATs)

The combustion of fossil fuels produces greenhouse gases like Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) and Nitrogen Oxide (NO_x) and other harmful gases such as Sulphur Dioxide (SO2). CO2 is the main gas that causes climate change. Fossil-fuel based CATs are a group of technologies that enable fossil fuels to be used with substantially reduced CO2 emissions, and therefore can be part of the solution to climate change. By enabling continued use of fossil fuels within our emissions targets, CATs can also strengthen the diversity and security of energy supply.

CATS include a range of generic options, including:

• Higher efficiency conversion process to reduce the amount of fuel consumed and the associated CO2 emissions. This can contribute to emission reductions of 10 – 30%
• Fuel switching to lower carbon alternatives – such as natural gas and co-firing with 5-10% CO2 neutral biomass
• Carbon Capture and Storage with the potential to reduce emissions by 85-90%

The UK’s CAT Strategy addresses the future requirements for reducing CO2 emissions from fossil fuel power generation and is intended to ensure that the UK takes a leading role in the development and commercialisation of CATs that can make a significant and affordable reduction in CO2 emissions from fossil fuel use.

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a radical type of CAT and has the potential to reduce CO₂ emissions from power plants by more than 85%. It has significant potential in the UK and worldwide to reduce CO₂ emissions, the Stern Review estimates that it has the potential to contribute up to 20% of global carbon dioxide mitigation by 2050.

Briefly, CCS is a 3-step process which includes capturing the CO2 from power plants and other industrial sources; transporting the CO₂ (usually via pipelines); and storing the CO₂ in geological sites such as deep saline formations or depleted oil and gas fields. The CO2 when combined with water can also be utilised for EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery) by lowering the viscosity of the oil in the well and improving flow rates through the production well bore.

The processes involved in CCS are not novel, but have yet to be demonstrated together at scale. The Government made clear in the Energy Review in 2006 that the next logical step for CCS would therefore be building a full-scale demonstration plant subject to this being cost effective. The PBR (Pre-Budget Report) in December 2006 announced the appointment of consulting engineers “to ensure that our understanding of the costs of a CCS plant based in the UK is robust”, and the 2007 White Paper subsequently announced that a competition would be launched in November 2007 to build the world’s first full scale CCS power plant in the UK.

Wider UK work to support the development and deployment of CCS is mainly centred on three areas of activities to facilitate CCS deployment:

• The development of a regulatory regime, which will manage the safe and reliable storage of CO2 and does not conflict with international agreements. This includes amendments to international conventions and working towards the inclusion of CCS in the EU ETS.
• Support for R&D and demonstration of these technologies - The UK Government has allocated £35m for the demonstration of Carbon Abatement Technologies, which includes Carbon Capture and Storage. The first projects will be announced later in 2007. We are also allocating £20m in the current Technology Strategy programme for clean energy technologies which includes carbon capture and storage technologies.
• Through the G8 and EU as well as bilaterally, encouraging the deployment of CCS elsewhere, particularly in developing countries such as China and India.

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