Committee on Climate Change recommends carbon capture for gas power stations

New gas plants should meet the Emission Performance Standard in 2020

17 June 2010

Lord Adair Turner, the Chair of the Committee on Climate Change advised the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs that the Government should require gas power stations to include carbon capture and storage (CCS) for new gas plants.  This step will be necessary to achieve the 2050 target to cut the CO2 emissions by 80 %.  The Governments current plan already require new coal power stations to include the CCS equipment.  Lord Turner suggested that at least one of the CCS systems should be installed at a new gas power station as a trial to determine its effectiveness.  Lord Turner stated that “given new evidence on the potential competitiveness of gas CCS with other forms of low carbon generation, and the very limited international effort to develop this technology, the Committee suggests that serious consideration should be given to funding at least one gas CCS demonstration project as part of the four coal CCS demonstration projects committed to in the Coalition Agreement”.  Further suggestions include the establishment of an Emissions Performance Standard that would require new gas plants beyond 2020 to be fitted with CCS.  Lord Turner noted that “this would potentially provide a coherent approach to fossil fuel (coal and gas) generation and therefore drive down power sector emissions”.