Europe's largest gas-fired power station– Pembroke power station, with the capacity to generate enough electricity to power around four million homes plans to tackle climate change. The station is adopting the latest strategy by RWE, formerly known as Rheinisch-Westfalisches Elektrizitatswerk AG, a multinational energy company based in Germany.
RWE, also one of the largest electricity and gas suppliers in Europe, with operations spanning across various energy sources including coal, gas, nuclear, and renewables, with a significant presence in the United Kingdom, launched a feasibility study at Great Yarmouth Power Station to capture carbon.
Laying new undersea pipes
The plan is to lay new undersea pipes involving RWE and Dragon LNG at the Pembroke power.
Furthermore, Richard Little is leading the transformation of the Pembroke site, while Simon Ames is the managing director of Dragon LNG. Sarah Phillips, a senior manager at Dragon LNG, has been involved since the site's inception.
The collaboration will place undersea pipes to carry carbon emissions from the Pembroke power station to a liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal across the Milford Haven estuary.
The scheme aims to secure jobs, launch a new industry of shipping CO2 for burial at sea, and reduce emissions from the gas plant. It includes major building work across a protected marine habitat.
The project is based in Pembrokeshire, Wales, across the Milford Haven estuary, connecting the Pembroke power station with the LNG terminal.
The aim is for the scheme to be built before the end of the decade. Engineering studies are already underway, with the project partially funded by the UK government. RWE aims to capture up to two megatonnes of emissions by 2030, increasing to five megatonnes by 2035.
This power station is one the biggest emitters of carbon in Wales, therefore making it imperative for the country's transition to a greener future and is part of the wider South Wales Industrial Cluster (SWIC) plan to cut carbon emissions from major industries.
CO2 emitters to be pumped from Pembroke power station and liquefied at the LNG terminal
The carbon emissions from the Pembroke power station will be pumped across the estuary, liquified at the LNG terminal, and then transported by ship to be buried under the North Sea.
The pipelines will also carry waste heat from the power plant to help reduce emissions from the LNG terminal's operations. The project involves significant engineering work and collaboration with regulatory and environmental bodies to ensure compliance and minimize environmental impact.
This strategy, integrated with other Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) developments by RWE, could provide 5.1 gigawatts (GW) of low-carbon electricity, enough to power approximately 8.1 million homes.
The process has begun with early-stage feasibility studies. If successful, it would enable the generation of 400 megawatts (MW) of decarbonized, flexible power by capturing around 600,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.
"This power station currently runs 80 percent of the time, in and around when there's insufficient renewable power [such as wind or solar]," Richard Little, who is leading the site's transformation as director of the Pembroke Net Zero Centre, told BBC.
"We need to build something that allows it to still operate at times when it's needed without impacting the climate."
Additionally, the project aims to support the creation of new jobs in the local area and provide investment and supply chain opportunities for the local economy.
RWE views carbon capture as a viable solution for delivering decarbonized, reliable, and dispatchable power, aligning with the UK's target for a net zero power system by 2035.
The project is part of the organization's broader strategy to decarbonize its gas fleet and support the expansion of renewable and low-carbon technologies.
Their activities include power generation, trading, and transmission. They are actively involved in the transition to cleaner energy and have been investing in renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, as well as exploring technologies like carbon capture and storage to reduce carbon footprint.
Efforts to decarbonize operations
Pembroke power station typically generates electricity from burning gas. RWE operates the station and plays a significant part in the energy infrastructure of Wales, providing a reliable source of electricity, particularly when renewable energy sources like wind or solar power are insufficient.
However, currently, the Pembroke power station is undergoing transformation efforts led by RWE to decarbonize its operations.
The organization is making initiatives to capture carbon and storage as part of RWE's broader commitment to reducing emissions and transitioning to cleaner energy sources.
According to BBC, Environmental group Friends of the Earth called for the money to be spent on renewable energy rather than keeping a gas plant going.
Simon Ames, Dragon LNG's managing director, stated the company is working closely with regulatory and environmental bodies to make the transition at once and "do it well."
"We want to fully protect the [local] environment, but dealing with climate change means we have to connect these businesses together."
