Think tank gives roadmap for carbon capture in the UK

The British think tank, Policy Exchange, has just published a damning report on carbon capture in the UK and has laid out a road map to help reduce the increasing rate of CO2 release. The full document can be found here.

The 38 page document concentrates on carbon capture and storage (CCS) as the overriding way to cut emissions and meet targets. If you have the time, it’s definitely worth a read.

Here are some of the findings:

• Fitting CCS equipment to coal and gas tower stations could slash global emissions by between 28-50% by 2050;
• Fitting CCS to UK plants could cut emissions by 20% by 2020;
• These emission reductions could be extremely affordable. If all large gas and coal fuelled electricity plants in the UK were fitted with commercially viable CCS, the additional cost of electricity would be around £60 per household per year. This is similar to the UK price currently paid for wind, the cheapest renewable technology currently available.

The report highlights the current situation, including the the well urges the government to offer incentives for CCS investors. In addition to this it recommends the following legislation be made

• From 1 January 2009, all new fossil fuel power plants must have average annual emissions from the whole plant of 350 kg CO2/MWh. This would eliminate new-build coal with no CCS, but would still enable unabated gas plant to avoid electricity shortages;
• By 2015, new build stations must meet an emissions standard of 170kg CO2/MWh or better for coal, and 70
  kg CO2/MWh on gas. This would require CCS to be fitted for both coal and gas;
• By 2020, old build power stations should be retrofitted to meet this standard.