Plans for the UK’s first industrial-scale carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) demonstration plant have been announced.
Chemical Engineering Online reported that Tata Chemicals Europe (TCE) intends to construct the plant, which will capture the carbon dioxide produced through power generation emission gases. It will then purify the gas and use it to manufacture high-quality sodium bicarbonate.
Planning permission for the CCU plant was granted last month and it’s expected to be operational by 2021.
TCE is the only company that manufactures sodium bicarbonate and soda ash in the UK, as well as being a leading producer of salt in the country.
The news provider noted that the plant will involve a “unique application of CCU technology” in order to capture the carbon dioxide from the flue gases of the company’s gas-fired combined heat and power plant (CHP).
At present, the CHP provides steam and power to TCE’s Northwish operations, as well as to businesses in the surrounding area.
It’s already one of the UK’s most efficient power plants, and with the introduction of the CCU technology that’s set to improve still further.
Last month, the government announced it was providing financial support to the project, with £4.2 million being awarded to support the CCU plant’s development.
TCE is one of nine companies to be awarded funds to accelerate the UK’s use of carbon capture technology. In total, £26 million of government funding was awarded in June.
Chris Skidmore, energy and clean growth minister, commented: “Carbon capture, utilisation and storage has an essential role to play in our efforts to tackle climate change, helping us to meet our ambition to end our contribution to global warming entirely by 2050.”
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