Memorandum submitted by the Institute
of Physics
1. The following items of background information
about carbon capture and storage (CCS) are attached:
— The report of a seminar on CCS organised
jointly by the three societies in December 2007[30].
— The RSC's position statement on CCS[31].
— An unpublished draft of a report
on carbon emission reduction in electricity supply, commissioned
by the IOP. This report includes a chapter on CCS as well as other
chapters relevant to the current situation, covering topics such
as supercritical plants and combined heat and power (CHP).[32]
2. It is very important that CCS is developed
as a part of a portfolio of measures to stabilise greenhouse gas
concentration in the atmosphere. Globally, the supply of primary
energy will continue to be dominated by fossil fuels until at
least the middle of this century; both due to existing and newly
built power stations. The UK and other Western countries are in
a position to develop CCS technologies to be transferred, when
mature and cost-effective, to countries such as China and India
as a retrofit option on some of their plants, which otherwise
will be locking us into emissions of CO2 for decades to come.
3. The very long-term environmental viability
of CCS may not be substantial compared to similar-scale efforts
in other areas such as energy efficiency and renewables. However,
it is the only method of reducing the climate change impact of
fossil fuels which continue to be used, so represents an essential
medium-term measure. Most least-cost scenarios for the stabilisation
of greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere in the range
of 450-750 ppmv CO2, show that CCS could contribute between 15%
and 55% of the cumulative effort to reduce the greenhouse gas
emissions globally until 2100.
4. All of the sources listed in paragraph
one outline details of the three technological methods of carbon
capture: pre-combustion, post-combustion and oxyfuel. Factors
such as the concentration of CO2 in the gas stream, the pressure
of the gas stream and the fuel type (solid or gas) are important
in selecting the appropriate capture system. Post-combustion approaches
are required if carbon capture is to be retrofitted onto existing
power plants. Other approaches, including oxyfuel or alternative
solutions using algae, can be used to capture distributed CO2,
independent of a large point emission source.
5. The current BERR CCS demonstration competition[33]
is limited to post-combustion technology. While this initiative
may be effective in achieving the first facilities to retrofit
to existing power stations, it is not sufficient to incentivise
the longer-term development of power plants built with integral
carbon capture, or to support the broader development of CCS.
Even within the post-combustion approach, the choice to limit
the competition to only a single demonstration is also very restrictive,
and not the most effective way to ensure the technology reached
its potential. Currently the CCS sector faces a steep learning
curve, and government financial support should be provided for
CCS in a way which does not pre-judge what the best technical
approaches are going to be.
6. The cost of CCS will favour highly-efficient
power plants. CCS increases the cost of generating electricity
by 12-60% depending on energy prices[34].
It is forecast that, in the next decade, the cost for capture
will be reduced by at least 20-30%, and the costs of transport
and storage will also decrease as technologies become more mature.
Modelling indicates that CCS may be deployed in electricity generation
if CO2 abatement prices reach £11- £15/(t CO2).
7. A power plant with CCS using geological
storage requires an associated energy consumption of around 10-40%
of its output. It will be vital to monitor this and improve efficiencies.
8. Compared to new build power stations
including CCS, the retrofit of CCS to existing power plants would
increase costs and significantly reduce generating efficiencies.
9. In order for CCS to become an economically
sustainable part of the energy market, various challenges must
be overcome. Not only will significantly improved CCS technologies
be required, but also a sufficiently competitive and relatively
stable price for carbon under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme;
a framework which treats CCS as a low carbon technology, recognizing
that a plant using CCS produces CO2 without releasing it into
atmosphere; and a legal framework to deal with issues such as
sub-sea sequestration.
10. CCS is not the only factor to consider
in terms of the environmental impact of a new fossil-fuelled power
plant. New plants operate at significantly higher efficiencies,
and flue gas desulphurisation is now mandatory. Some background
on the development of supercritical plants is given in the draft
report listed in paragraph one. It is worth emphasising that CHP
is by far the most efficient way to use fossil fuels, with efficiencies
of up to 80%. CHP can be based on a variety of technologies including
gas turbines, steam turbines, reciprocating engines and CCGT.
It can also be used in combination with CCS.
The Institute of Physics is a scientific membership
organisation devoted to increasing the understanding and application
of physics. It has an extensive worldwide membership and is a
leading communicator of physics with all audiences from specialists
through government to the general public.
The Royal Society of Chemistry is the largest
organisation in Europe for the advancement of the chemical sciences.
Supported by a network of over 43,000 members worldwide and an
internationally acclaimed publishing business, our activities
span education, training, conferences and science policy and the
promotion of the chemical sciences to the public.
The Institute of Biology is the professional
body for UK biologists. Its members work in industry, research,
education and healthcare, amongst other areas. It was founded
in 1950, obtained a Royal Charter in 1979, and is a registered
charity with over 13,000 individual members as well as learned
Affiliated Societies covering every area of the biosciences.
2 June 2008
30 Not printed. Back
31
Not printed. Back
32
Not printed. Back
33
www.berr.gov.uk/energy/sources/sustainable/carbon-abatement-tech/ccs-demo/page40961.html Back
34
IPCC Special Report Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage, Summary
for Policymakers, A Special Report of Working Group III of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2005 Back
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