ZERO http://www.zero10.no hourly 1 2010-10-01T14:05:44Z CarbonNet scoops $100m boost http://www.zero10.no/ccs/carbonnet-scoops-100m-boost A planned CO2 transport-and-storage hub for Latrobe Valley in Victoria, Australia, has secured federal and state funding worth $100 million towards feasibility studies. CarbonNet is the second project selected for funding under the Australian Government’s CCS Flagships Program, which will provide $70m towards the initiative. The remaining $30m will come from the Victorian government.

The state-led $1 billion CCS project aims to capture between 4 and 10 million tonnes per annum of CO2 from power plants, industrial processes and new coal-based industries in the Latrobe Valley. The captured gas would be transported via a shared infrastructure to suitable on and offshore geological storage sites.

The overall aim of the project is to demonstrate low emission brown coal electricity generation in the region.

Martin Ferguson, Minister for Resources and Energy, said the initiative would enable Latrobe Valley to cut its emissions while securing its economic development.

He said: “The economic base of the Latrobe Valley depends on brown coal and, while the government is committed to cutting CO2 emissions, the last thing we want to do is cut jobs in the process. Projects like CarbonNet will help shape a new economic future for this critical region.”

Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources, Michael O’Brien MP, added: “The Victorian coalition government is committed to energy security, and jobs in the Latrobe Valley. CarbonNet supports both by promoting low emission use of Victoria’s world-class brown coal resource.”

Last month, the CCS project was awarded A$240,000 by the Global CCS Institute towards conducting a measuring, monitoring, and verification study of stored emissions. The government funding will support feasibility work, including modelling and testing of potential CO2 storage sites.

Latrobe Valley already hosts a CCS research hub, led by Australian research agency CO2CRC, which is exploring commercially-viable methods for reducing CO2 emissions at brown coal-fired power plants.

Read the Australian Government’s press release here.

About CarbonNet

]]> No publisher Indira Mann ccs 2012-02-17T13:45:03Z Nyhetssak EC poised to announce NER300 shortlist http://www.zero10.no/ccs/ec-poised-to-announce-ner300-shortlist The European Commission is set to announce the shortlist of low-carbon projects that could benefit from its €4.5 billion NER300 fund. Thirteen carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects were submitted by the May 2011 deadline for a share of the fund set up to support CCS and renewables projects across the European Union.

The European Investment Bank (EIB), with help from external consultants, has spent nine months evaluating each submitted project against the bank's technical and financial due diligence criteria. Those that pass will still have to undergo an eligibility check, which includes an assessment of whether the project is “sufficiently innovative” to qualify for funding.

Twenty one EU member states submitted a total of 78 proposals to the scheme, including 65 renewables projects. Seven countries applied for funding for 13 CCS projects.

Up to three projects in each member state may eventually be supported. A representative of the EC's Directorate-General for Climate Action said previously that projects remaining in the competition would have to “wait until the very end to know if they have been lucky”.

Among those expected to drop out of the competition are two CCS projects – Longannet in Scotland, and Germany’s Jänschwalde CCS demonstration. The UK government confirmed in October last year that the ₤1 billion Longannet project had been scrapped after failing to reach a deal with the Scottish-Power led consortium behind the proposals. Last December, Vattenfall cancelled its plans for the €1.5 billion Jänschwalde CCS demonstration, citing a "lack of political will" to support the introduction of necessary CCS legislation.

The EC announced last month that the EIB has raised €97.8 million from the sale of 12 million EU carbon permits (EUAs) during December 2011. The bank has the mandate to sell 200 million EUAs by October, with revenue from the sales used to fund renewable energy and CCS projects across the EU.

For more details on the projects that originally applied to the NER300 fund, read ZERO’s article.

Read EC press release, 6 February 2012

]]> No publisher Indira Mann zero-konferansen ccs 2012-02-13T11:31:07Z Nyhetssak Fremtidens plast lages ikke av olje, men dyrkes i skogen eller på åkeren. http://www.zero10.no/fornybar-energi/fremtidens-plast-lages-ikke-av-olje-men-dyrkes-i-skogen-eller-pa-akeren Plast finnes absolutt over alt rundt oss. Klærne du har på deg, møblene rundt deg, telefonen du snakker i og nettbrettet du surfer på. Siden ny teknologi gjorde plast til et billig, slitesterkt og lett tilgjengelig materiale i første halvdel av forrige århundre, har plast blitt til en av de viktigste byggeklossene i vår sivilisasjon, og i dag er det vanskelig å se for seg et samfunn uten plast. Men plasten har sin pris. 7 prosent av verdens petroleumsforbruk kan knyttes til plast og plastproduksjon, og årlig står plast for utslipp av 1100 milliarder tonn CO2-ekvivalenter på verdensbasis. Det er like mye som utslippene fra all internasjonal sjøtransport. Og plastens fremragende slitestyrke blir et problem når den når slutten av sin levetid: plastsøppelet vi kaster i dag trenger hundrevis eller til og med tusenvis av år på å brytes ned i naturen.

Men disse problemene er nå i ferd med å bli løst. Ved å benytte fornybare råvarer i plastproduksjon kan utslippene kuttes betydelig, og nedbrytningstiden times til å passe produktet. Dette er ikke science fiction, men teknologi som brukes av store plastprodusenter allerede i dag. Plastens fremtid er i naturen, ikke i oljefeltene.

Per i dag er markedet for bioplast – eller planteplast – begrenset, med 0,5 millioner tonn eller ca. 0,22 prosent av det totale plastmarkedet. Tidligere har bioplast hatt begrensede muligheter siden plasten ikke har hatt samme kvalitet som fossilbasert plast. Dette gjelder spesielt i forhold til varmebehandling. Derfor har bruken av planteplast naturlig begrenset seg.

Men dette er i ferd med å endre seg.

I ZEROs nye rapport «Utslippsfri plast» er det samlet ny forskning om planteplast, blant annet om at den teknologiske utviklingen på bio-plast har ført til at bio-plast på kort og mellomlang sikt kan bli et viktig klimatiltak. Rapporten er utarbeidet av siv.ing. Olav Andreas Opdal i ZERO, og ingeniør Mikkel Heiberg Storm, som har mer enn 30 års erfaring fra norsk og internasjonal plast- og polymerindustri.

 

På bakgrunn av funnene i rapporten lagde NRK Østafjells en sak om potensialet for norsk produksjon av bioplast. Den kan du se her.

]]> No publisher Bastian E. Klunde klima fornybart avfall industri 2012-02-10T10:55:00Z FornybarNyhetssak Første elsertifikat overlevert http://www.zero10.no/fornybar-energi/forste-elsertifikat-overlevert-av-statsraden I dag ble det første elsertifikatet overlevert fra staten ved statssekretær Eli Blakstad. Miljøstiftelsen ZERO har jobbet for innføringen av elsertifikater siden stiftelsen ble opprettet i 2002 og hadde gleden av å være tilstede ved overrekkelsen. Sertifikatordningen vil være svært viktig for klima og kutt av fossil energibruk og forurensende utslipp. Avdelingsleder Einar Wilhelmsen i Zero ga blomster til statssekretær Eli Blakstad ved overrekkelsen. Han omtaler anledningen som en viktig merkedag: «Vi har gledet oss lenge til denne dagen, dette er viktig for fornybarsatsningen. Nå har vi fått verktøyet vi trenger for å kutte klimagassutslipp.» sa Einar Wilhelmsen.

Den første kraftprodusenten som fikk elsertifikat var Kvassteinåga kraftverk i Nordland. Det lille kraftverket har en installert effekt på ca 4,33 MW årlig. Dette tilsvarer forbruket til 750 husstander.

Det svensk-norske ordningen ble innført fra første januar i år, og skal føre til 26,4 TWh ny kraftproduksjon innen 2020. Elsertifikatordningen skal gjøre det mer lønnsomt å investere i kraftproduksjon basert på fornybare energikilder, som vann, vind, sol og bioenergi. Dermed bidrar elsertifikatene til at målene om mer fornybar strøm kan nås.

Ved å elektrifisere petroleumssektoren kan Norges klimagassutslipp realistisk kuttes med i alle fall fem millioner tonn, det vil si utslipp tilsvarende over to millioner privatbiler. I tillegg kan vi eksportere vår fornybare vannkraft slik at våre naboland kan utvikle mer klimavennlige energisystemer. Det betyr at vi kommer til å trenge all den nye strømmen ordningen kan utløse.

Med dagens overlevering har vi kommet et viktig skritt videre på veien til et samfunn basert på utslippsfri og fornybar energi.

 

 

]]> No publisher Bastian E. Klunde fornybart vindkraft fornybar biodrivstoff 2012-02-08T15:50:00Z FornybarNyhetssak Klar for kraft fra land http://www.zero10.no/klima/klar-for-kraft-fra-land Kraftsituasjonen i områdene hvor det er aktuelt å hente kraft til Utsirahøyden er god nok til at Utsirahøyden kan elektrifiseres. Det sa prosjektleder Kjartan Hauglum i Statnett på ZEROs elektrifiseringsseminar i dag Første oljefelt i rekka blant feltene på Utsirahøyden, Luno, har søkt om utbygging i vår, men har lagt til grunn at feltet skal drives med gassturbiner.  Men i følge Statnett kan ikke dette begrunnes med kraftsituasjonen her til lands.  

Statnett bekreftet også at det innen 2030 vil være nok elektrisk strøm i Norge til å forsyne alle oljefelt på norsk sokkel med fornybar kraft. - Vi kommer til å flyte over av rein kraft når sertifikatmarkedet er på plass, forsikret Hauglum i Statnett. Les hele presentasjonen hans her.

 

Øyvind Fjellvang, Deputy Projecct Director for Hild Project i oljeselskapet Total, som har søkt om å bygge ut oljefeltet Hild, forklarte hvorfor selskapet etter en grundig analyse har valgt kraft fra land til sitt oljefelt. – For det første er det ikke noe dyrere å drive Hild med strøm i kabel fra land enn å drive med gassturbiner. For det andre vil det fra et HMS-synspunkt være en fordel å slippe lukt og støy fra gassturbiner om bord på riggen, sa Fjellvang, som også mente at Total vil være nokså banebrytende når selskapet nå skal ta ut vekselstrøm via kabel fra land til Hild, som ligger lengre ut i havet enn for eksempel Utsirahøyden. Presentasjonen til Øyvind Fjellvang kan du lese her. 

 

-For å innføre klimatiltak som monner må man våge å ta tøffe beslutninger, mente adm. dir. Steffen Waal i ABB. – Elektrifisering med ren energi er både et godt miljøtiltak og god næringspolitikk fordi elektrifisering gir verdiskapning i Norge og også kompetanse som kan brukes på andre områder, sa han. Les hele presentasjonen hans her.

 

Ivar Vigdenes, politisk rådgiver i OED, understreket at Regjeringen ønsker å få til en elektrifisering av Utsirahøyden, men salen etterlyste nye virkemidler som skal sørge for at dette kan gjennomføres i praksis. Les hele presentasjonen til Vigdenes her.

 

-Slik regelverket er utformet i dag kan Oljedirektoratet ikke pålegge oljeselskapene å bruke kraft fra land. Dette er i dag en politisk avgjørelse, sa Arne Nilsen, sjefsingeniør i Oljedirektoratet. Her er hele presentasjonen hans.

 

ZEROs Kari Elisabeth Kaski presenterte rapporten ”Strøm fra land til olje- og gassplattformer”. -Elektrifisering er det viktigste klimatiltaket vi kan gjøre i Norge og vil ha stor effekt i mange tiår. Det var svært oppløftende at Statnett i dag kunne bekrefte at det finnes mer enn nok strøm til å elektrifisere alle aktuelle felt fram mot 2030. Nå må regjeringen få på plass de virkemidlene som trengs for at elektrifisering blir den nye standarden på norsk sokkel, sa hun. Du kan se presentasjonen.

                                                                                          

]]> No publisher Bastian E. Klunde Elektrifisering offshore 2012-02-07T12:25:00Z KlimaNyhetssak Helping hand for CCS policymakers http://www.zero10.no/ccs/helping-hand-for-ccs-policymakers The International Energy Agency (IEA) has published a strategy paper that aims to guide policymakers worldwide who are developing policy frameworks to support the use of carbon capture and storage. The publication highlights the value of CCS as “an essential part of the portfolio of technologies needed to achieve substantial global GHG emissions reduction in the most cost‐effective manner”, and targets those working at both national and international levels.

Issued by the IEA’s directorate of sustainable energy policy and technology, the paper points to the need for the development of robust and effective policy frameworks, stating: “Despite huge potential, there remains considerable doubt as to the precise role CCS will play. Deploying CCS requires policy action; it is not something that the market will do on its own.”

As well as making the case for robust CCS policy, the publication also offers advice on the structure a policy framework might take alongside an analysis of policy instruments to promote uptake of CCS technology – such as carbon tax or cap-and-trade schemes – and mechanisms to promote knowledge sharing.

It also points to the potential benefits of CCS for both developed and developing countries, suggesting that those tackling the highest emissions and holding the largest reserves of fossil fuels have the most to gain from supporting CCS in developing countries.

The report concludes: “Policy for CCS needs to be flexible, yet able to provide investors with enough certainty to make substantial financial commitments. Balancing these competing interests will be a substantial challenge.”

The IEA’s A Policy Strategy for Carbon Capture and Storage can be found here.

For more information on the document, contact Dr Wolf Heidug, Wolf.HEIDUG@iea.org

]]> No publisher Indira Mann ccs 2012-02-07T11:39:37Z Nyhetssak Green industry with CCS http://www.zero10.no/ccs/projects/green-industry-with-ccs ZERO holds a seminar about CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) applied on industrial emissions sources. This takes place in Berlin, the 20th of March CO2 reductions within the industry sector will be necessary to establish a sustainable and competitive industry sector in Europe. There is no easy fix to cut emissions from processing industries. A large part of the greenhouse gas emissions from industries are not caused by energy use that can be replaced by renewables or removed in other ways. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a technology which has the potential to give significant reductions in CO2 emissions, given a sound and lasting financial and political framework. 

Among the speakers are: Juho Lipponen, Head of CCS Unit, IEA, Robert Finley ISG Project at Decatur, Illinois USA, Dr. Jörg Rothermel,  Association of the German Chemical Industry, Sigve Apeland, Gassco and Hauke Hermann, Öko-institut

In the panel-discussion are, among others: Dr. Peer Hoth, BMWi, Dr. Jörg Rothermel and Marius Gjerset, ZERO

The seminar will be held on the 20th March 2012 from 09.00 – 17.00 in the venues of the Mercator Stiftung's in Berlin.

Adress: 
Neue Promenade 6 
10178 Berlin 
Germany
Web: Mercator

Map: Neue Promenade 6

U-bahn and S-bahn:  Hakescher Markt

You can find more information about the seminar and the program here (pdf)

For registration, please go to this link: Registration  

Hotels nearby recommended:

Adina Apartment Hotel  110 - 150 euro

Hotel Amano  85 - 100 euro

Easyhotel  25  - 50 euro

 

ZERO hope to see you in Berlin on the 20th of March!

 

Sponsors:

 

Climit

 

 

Den norske ambassaden i Tyskland

]]> No publisher Camilla Svendsen Skriung industri ccs 2012-02-03T13:25:00Z Nyhetssak Klimameldingen utsatt igjen http://www.zero10.no/klima/klimameldingen-utsatt-igjen Forrige uke ble det kjent at Klimameldingen er utsatt igjen. Nå sier regjeringen at meldingen skal legges frem i sommer. I uken som har gått siden Erik Solheim orienterte om at klimameldingen var utsatt, har mange har ment mye om hva som gjør klimameldingen så vanskelig for regjeringen. Vi i ZERO har ikke deltatt i den spekulasjonen, men vi har konstatert at det er svært beklagelig at regjeringen utsetter dette viktige arbeidet. 

I tiden fremover kommer vi til å fortsette å oppdatere klimameldingssiden vår, så når ting begynner å bevege seg skal du finne alt du trenger av informasjon her. 

Vi oppfordrer alle til å opprettholde presset på regjeringspartiene, slik at vi først og fremst får en god klimamelding. Når den først kommer. 

]]> No publisher Bastian E. Klunde 2012-01-31T12:20:17Z KlimaNyhetssak UNFCCC seeks host for Climate Technology Centre http://www.zero10.no/ccs/unfccc-seeks-host-for-climate-technology-centre The United Nations has invited potential hosts of a new Climate Technology Centre (CTC) to step forward with proposals. The centre aims to develop and transfer technologies that will support moves to combat climate change in developing countries. The secretariat of the UN Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC) has issued the call following a request by governments at the UN climate change conference in Durban last year to launch the process of selecting a suitable host for the CTC.

The centre will take forward the Technology Mechanism – set up at the UN conference in Cancun in 2010 – which is intended to promote the development and knowledge-transfer of “climate-sound” technologies that will eventually be put into practice.

UNFCCC executive secretary, Christiana Figueres, said:  “At the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban, governments gave themselves a heavy workload for 2012, and the call for proposals is the first big follow-on step from that meeting. It is also a major step towards delivering real and tangible transfer of technologies and know-how to developing countries,”

The CTC and its network will help developing countries to select technologies and set up resulting projects and strategies. It intends to achieve this through collaboration between governments, international organisations, the research community, academia and the private sector.

The secretariat has asked interested organisations, including consortia, to submit their proposals for hosting the CTC by March 16 with a view to it becoming fully operational in 2012. These proposals will then be assessed by an evaluation panel - comprising six members of the Technology Executive Committee – which will recommend a shortlist, before the successful host is approved at the next UN Climate Change Conference in Qatar at the end of 2012.

UNFCCC press release, 19 January 2012

Read the call for proposals here.

]]> No publisher Indira Mann ccs 2012-01-27T16:49:08Z Nyhetssak A$2.3m funding for Australian CCS trio http://www.zero10.no/ccs/a-2.3m-funding-for-australian-ccs-trio The Global CCS Institute has announced funding for three of Australia’s key carbon capture and storage initiatives. The total package, amounting to A$2.3 million, aims to help speed up the development of CCS technologies for commercial-scale use as part of the country’s moves to tackle climate change.

  • Research agency CSIRO is set to benefit from a $1.84 million grant towards studying the potential impact of capture technology on air quality.
  • The CarbonNet project, a planned CO2 transport-and-storage hub for Latrobe Valley, Victoria, will be funded A$240,000 to conduct a measuring, monitoring, and verification study of stored emissions.
  • WorleyParsons will receive A$226,000 to analyse the impact of post-combustion capture on an existing coal-fired power plant, Loy Yang A, also in Latrobe Valley.

Holger Bietz, GCCSI’s general manager for projects, financial and commercial, said: “Our announcement today of funding to CCS demonstration projects and research points to the pressing demand to accelerate deployment of this important technology in Australia,” he said. “It also helps to cement Australia’s position as a global leader in pursuing CCS as a climate mitigation tool.”

He added: “The work with CSIRO in particular will draw international attention, given that it will develop a methodology to allow regulators to safely approve capture projects in Australia and any jurisdiction around the world.”

As of last Friday, the GCCSI has provided a total of A$37 million towards CCS projects worldwide, with about 16% of that figure going to Australian projects or activities.

Read GCCSI’s press release here.

]]> No publisher Indira Mann ccs 2012-01-18T13:05:44Z Nyhetssak Materials Roadmap boost for low-carbon technologies http://www.zero10.no/ccs/ec-roadmap-boost-for-low-carbon-technologies The European Commission has published a new Materials Roadmap, which proposes key research and development needed to advance low-carbon energy technologies, including CCS, over the next ten years. The roadmap – produced under the SETIS system to support delivery of a European energy technology policy – puts forward the case for key R&D activities and proposes a comprehensive European programme.

Among the energy technologies considered are wind, solar power, the fossil fuel energy sector (including carbon capture and storage), geothermal, bio-energy and nuclear fission.

With regard to the fossil fuel sector, the roadmap proposes an R&D programme that includes materials for post combustion capture – such as solvents and advanced solvents – and the development of oxygen carriers and sorbents for precombustion technologies with a lower cost per tonne of CO2 separated.

And in order to speed the progress of its results from research to market, the programme also includes several industrial pilots to validate findings and test the performance of materials under realistic operating conditions.

The roadmap’s introduction states: “We need new energy technologies – not just any low carbon technologies, but more efficient and cost-competitive low carbon technologies. Materials play a pivotal role in the solution, providing the means to generate and conserve energy in a more efficient and cost-competitive manner.”

To download the roadmap, click here.

Read the EC’s press release here.

To find out more about the EC’s SET-Plan to move towards a low-carbon economy by 2050, click here.

]]> No publisher Indira Mann ccs 2012-01-12T17:16:04Z Nyhetssak ZERO arrangerer frokostseminar om kraft fra land http://www.zero10.no/klima/zero-arrangerer-frokostseminar-om-kraft-fra-land Hvor stort er potensialet for bruk av kraft fra land til oljefelt på norsk sokkel og betyr alle de aktuelle feltene at 2012 vil bli en gullalder for elektrifisering av norsk sokkel? Dette ser vi på når ZERO arrangerer frokostseminar 7. februar. Tirsdag 7. februar kl. 07:30- 10:00 inviterer ZERO til god frokost og en faglig start på dagen i lokalene til Hambro’s Café i Oslo. (http://bit.ly/yfmAiS).

Olje- og energiminister Ola Borten Moe har i høst uttalt at oljeindustrien må gjennomføre nye miljø- og klimatiltak på norsk sokkel og at han ønsker å få til elektrifisering av storfunnet Avaldsnes som ligger i området kalt Utsirahøyden. Første oljefelt i rekka blant feltene på Utsirahøyden, Luno, skal søke om utbygging i løpet av våren. Dette blir Ola Borten Moes første elektrifiseringstest som olje- og energiminister. (http://bit.ly/wnwO1x)

Seminaret åpnes av ZEROs Kari Elisabeth Kaski som presenterer ZEROs siste rapport (http://www.zero.no/klima/strom-fra-land-til-olje-og-gassplattformer) om potensialet for elektrifisering av sokkelen og mulighetene for å redusere klimagassutslippene fra oljeindustrien betydelig.

Sjefsingeniør i OD, Arne Nilsen, vil innlede om aktuelle prosjekter på sokkelen i dag og om elektrifisering av områder på norsk sokkel. Kjartan Hauglum, prosjektleder i Statnett, vil fortelle om sammenhengen mellom utbygging av kraftnett og elektrifisering. Han vil også  se på kraftsituasjonen i området hvor det er aktuelt å hente kraft fra til Utsirahøyden og Avaldsnes. 

 

Seminaret er nå fulltegnet.

 

Programmet:

 

 

 

 

07:30

Kaffe og frokost

 

08:00

Åpning og innledning om potensialet for elektrifisering av norsk petroleumsvirksomhet

Kari Elisabeth Kaski, politisk rådgiver, olje og gass, ZERO

08:15

 Regjeringens ambisjoner

Ivar Vigdenes, politisk rådgiver, Olje- og energidepartementet

08:45

 Elektrifisering gir næringsmuligheter

Steffen Waal, administrerende direktør, ABB AS
09:05
 Hva skjer på sokkelen i dag?
Arne Nilsen, sjefsingeniør, Oljedirektoratet

09:25

Nettutbygging og elektrifisering av sokkelen  

Kjartan Hauglum, prosjektleder, Statnett

09:45

 Elektrifisering av Hild

Øyvind Fjellvang, Deputy Project Director, Hild Project, Total

10:00

 Avslutning

ZERO
]]> No publisher Cato Buch klima Elektrifisering 2012-01-09T15:15:00Z KlimaNyhetssak FutureGen 2.0 test drilling 'successful' http://www.zero10.no/ccs/futuregen-2.0-test-drilling-successful The FutureGen Alliance has successfully completed drilling a characterisation well at the FutureGen 2.0 storage site in Morgan County, with initial data suggesting the geology is suitable for CO2 storage. Over the next few weeks, data collected from the well - including caprock and reservoir rock core samples from the Mt Simon sandstone formation - will undergo further testing to confirm the geology for CO2 storage, but the Alliance said preliminary findings were "extremely positive".

Ken Humphreys, CEO of the FutureGen Alliance, said: “This is an important milestone in the FutureGen 2.0 programme and was completed ahead of schedule. The drilling team reached the final depth on time and collected critical data and subsurface samples.

"Preliminary sample testing indicates that the geology is suitable to store CO2 from the Meredosia power plant. This data from the characterisation well will not only benefit FutureGen 2.0, but will also add to the understanding of the Illinois geology.”

The drill rig will now be removed from the well site and a smaller service rig installed in order to conduct hydrologic testing of the reservoir rock. Results from this testing will provide important data for designing the CO2 storage site, the Alliance said. Once testing is complete, the well will be configured as a monitoring well for future phases of the project.

The FutureGen Alliance restructured – and renamed – the original FutureGen project. It now aims to refit one 200MW unit at Ameren's power plant in Meredosia, Illinois, with advanced oxy-combustion technology that will capture around 90% of the plant’s emissions.. The project has received a $1 billion commitment in federal funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The FutureGen Alliance is a non-profit membership organisation created to develop and demonstrate near-zero emissions coal technology.

Read FutureGen Alliance's press release here.

]]> No publisher Indira Mann ccs 2012-01-05T19:47:12Z Nyhetssak Felles krav om klimafond http://www.zero10.no/klima/felles-krav-om-klimafond ZERO, Norsk Industri og Industri Energi med krav om klimatiltaksfond til Statsminister Jens Stoltenberg I dag har Zero, Norsk Industri og Industri Energi sendt et felles brev til Statsminister Jens Stoltenberg. De tre organisasjonene ber om at Statsministeren inngår en avtale med industrien om kutt i klimagassutslipp, og oppretter et klimatiltaksfond. Fondet bør opprettes snarlig, og finansieres gjennom statlige inntekter fra oljevirksomheten.

Les brevet i sin helhet her. 

]]> No publisher Bastian E. Klunde 2011-12-21T13:05:37Z KlimaNyhetssak Energy Roadmap 2050: ‘Europe can decarbonise’ http://www.zero10.no/ccs/energy-roadmap-2050-2018europe-can-decarbonise2019 The European Commission has announced the adoption of its Energy Roadmap 2050, which explores the challenges of decarbonising the European Union while ensuring security of energy supply and economic competitiveness. The roadmap’s analysis concludes that decarbonisation of the energy system is "technically and economically feasible" and that energy efficiency and renewables are a critical part of the mix. Its analysis is based on scenarios created by combining, in different ways, the four main decarbonisation routes – namely, energy efficiency, renewables, nuclear and carbon capture and storage.

The roadmap, which was adopted on 15 December, will form the basis of a long-term European framework that will attempt to meet the EU’s commitment to reduce GHG emissions to 80-95% below 1990 levels by 2050. To achieve this goal, the Commission states that Europe's energy production will have to be almost carbon-free.

Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger stated: “Only a new energy model will make our system secure, competitive and sustainable in the long-run. We now have a European framework for the necessary policy measures to be taken in order to secure the right investments.”

- ZERO welcomes the roadmap but stresses the need for greater urgency and political will to make the necessary transformation of Europe’s energy systems in time.  And to achieve this, the power generation system would have to undergo structural change and achieve a significant level of decarbonisation in 2030 – 57-65% in 2030 and 96-99% in 2050.

- The share of renewables rises substantially in all scenarios, achieving at least 55% in 2050, a 45% increase on today's level.  However, ZERO believes that CCS technologies, if commercialised, will have to contribute significantly in most scenarios, with a particularly strong role of up to 32% in power generation – in the case of low nuclear production – and shares of between 19% to 24% in other scenarios, with the exception of the high renewables scenario.

- Many renewable technologies need further development to bring down costs, and storage technologies remain critical.

- Gas will have to play a major role in the transformation of the energy system, and substituting it for coal and oil in the short to medium term could help to reduce emissions with existing technologies until at least 2030 or 2035. If CCS is applied at large scale, gas might become a low-carbon technology. But without CCS, the long-term role of gas is limited to being a flexible back-up.

- ZERO also points out that, for all fossil fuels, CCS will have to be applied from around 2030 in the power sector in order to reach the decarbonisation targets. And its use will depend on public acceptance, adequate carbon prices, the need to demonstrate it effectively at large scale and, critically, investment in the technology in this decade.

The Roadmap will be followed by further policy initiatives on specific energy policy areas in the coming years, starting with proposals on the internal market, renewable energy and nuclear safety next year.

In March 2011, the EC published the overall decarbonisation roadmap covering the whole economy. All sectors – power generation, transport, residential, industry and agriculture – were analysed. The Commission has also been preparing sectoral roadmaps, among which the Energy Roadmap 2050 is the last one.

Read the Energy Roadmap 2050 here.

]]> No publisher Indira Mann klima ccs 2011-12-16T19:15:42Z Nyhetssak