In September 2008 Vattenfall is inaugurating the world´s first pilot for a power plant with CO2-capture. The pilot plant based in Schwarze Pumpe (State of Brandenburg) will demonstrate the whole chain on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) for the first time. With an investment of roundabout 70 Mio euros the pilot plant will have a planned three-year test phase that is embedded in European research projects. The engineers will mainly concentrate on optimising the oxyfuel-technology within the plants´ components. It is the first time ever that the technology will work in a completed CCS-chain – a storage facility for the CO2 produced in this 30-Megawatt-plant was found in the region of Altmark in Northern Germany. Together with the partner Gaz de France, Vattenfall has set up a pilot project for storing CO2 in a depleted natural gas field.

Vattenfall´s whole CCS-project consists of three sub-projects:

• Capture, where Vattenfal traces two of the three main approaches for CO2-separation: Oxyfuel combustion and Post combustion capture
• Storage and transport, which investigates the possibilities of storing CO2 in deep saline formations or depleted oil and gas fields. Also includes the investigation of long-term effects, safety and transportation of CO2
• Environment, which focuses on any environmental problems related to CO2 capture, storage and transport

See the Presentation.

Norbert Glante, MEP and Rolf Linkohr, Honorary President of the EEF

Henning Schüchner - Assistant to Norbert Glante discussing vwith Atanas Paparizov – PES Bulgaria and Gai Oren – ITRE Secretariat

Participants to the EEF delegation visit to Schwarze Pumpe