The European commission has published details of fifteen energy projects that have been approved by the commission to benefit under the EU's economic recovery scheme. This decision grants r1 billion in stimulus funding to six CO2 capture and storage projects, and r565 million to nine offshore wind energy projects. These are projects that are expected to significantly contribute to the economic recovery of the EU. The promotion of these technologies indicates the importance of low carbon energy systems to the future of the economy, said the Commission in a statement.
The six CCS projects (the grant figures given signify the maximum amount that will be available) are as follows:
r180 million will go to Vattenfall's Jaenschwalde site in Germany to demonstrate an Oxyfuel installation and its post combustion technology on an existing power plant. Two storage and transport options are analysed.
r100 million is for the Enel Ingegneria e Innovazione S.p.A. (Italy) Porto-Tolle installation of CCS technology on a new 660 MW coal power plant. The capture section will treat flue gases corresponding to 250 MW of electrical output with storage in an offshore saline aquifer nearby.
A consortium of Maasvlakte JV/E.ON Benelux and Electrabel (Netherlands) will get 189 million to demonstrate the full chain of CCS on a capacity of 250 MW equivalent using post-combustion technology at its Rotterdam site. Storage of CO2 will be in a depleted offshore gas field near the plant. The project is part of the Rotterdam Climate initiative that aims at developing a CO2 transport and storage infrastructure for the region.
PGE EBSA of Poland will also get r180 million for a demonstration of the entire CCS chain on flue gases corresponding to 250 MW electrical output in the new supercritical unit of the largest lignite-fired plant in Europe, Belchatow. Three different saline aquifer storage sites nearby will be explored.
The demonstration of the full CCS chain using Oxyfuel and fluidised bed technology on a 30 MW pilot plant at Compostilla Endesa Generacion S.A., (Spain) which is to be upscaled by December 2015 to a demonstration plant of more than 320 MW, will be supported to the tune of r180 million. The prospects of storing CO2 in a saline aquifer nearby will be investigated.
An as yet undisclosed amount will go to the demonstration of CCS on a new, 900 MW IGCC power plant belonging to Powerfuel Power at Hatfield, UK. Storage in a gas field off the coast nearby is to be investigated. The project is part of the Yorkshire Forward initiative that aims at developing a CO2 transport and storage infrastructure for the region as well as keeping it on track to meet energy security and environmental goals.
In a statement Vattenfall emphasised the importance of the funds to the development and commercialisation of CCS technology. “We welcome this necessary support to our demonstration plant at Jänschwalde and other sites in Europe,” said Bjarne Korshøi, CCS manager at Vattenfall. “It is vital to keep momentum in the further development of CCS. We need several successful demonstration plants in Europe to make CCS commercially available by 2020 for large-scale deployment of the technology in the decades to come.”
Supporting offshore wind
At Baltic - Kriegers Flak I, II and III, r150m will go towards demonstrate the viability of an offshore grid connecting three German, Swedish and Danish wind farms in the Baltic Sea through a modular-based solution, linking up the national grid connections. The principals are Vattenfall Europe Transmission GmbH (Germany), Svenska Kraftnät (Sweden), and Energinet.dk (Denmark).
r86.54m will go into the COBRA cable, a large capacity interconnector between the Netherlands and Denmark, towards investment in innovative designs for direct connection of offshore wind farms and the modular start of the North Sea Grid. TenneT TSO B.V. (of The Netherlands), and Energinet.dk of Denmark are the beneficiaries.
r74 million is for Scottish Hydro to finance the addition of an intermediate offshore platform in its planned HVDC link (between Shetland and the Scottish mainland) for connecting offshore wind and marine generation
r53 million goes to the BARD 1 platform developer Ocean Breeze Energy (Germany) for the production of its innovative Tripile foundation system and production and installation of an innovative cable in-feed system for a 400 MW offshore wind farm.
Wetfeet Offshore Wind Energy GmbH (Germany), and Strabag Offshore Wind GmbH (Germany) developers of Global Tech I will get r58.55 million for their work on gravity foundations for deep water wind farms using efficient serial manufacturing and fast installation processes.
Essent Wind Nordsee Ost (Germany) will get r 50 million for jacket foundation structures for 6MW wind turbine generators at its Nordsee Ost project. The company is developing new techniques including innovative logistics and installation concepts to meet the challenging circumstances of this particular offshore location.
Trianel Windkraftwerk Borkum GmbH & Co. KG (Germany) gets r42.7 million for its Borkum West II installation of innovative 5MW wind turbine generators on tripod foundations.
r40 million goes to Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm Wind deployment centre for the development of a facility for the testing of multi-MW turbines with innovative structures and substructures and optimisation of manufacturing capacities of offshore wind energy production equipment
r10 million goes to C-Power (Belgium) to help pay for development of optimised logistics for upscaling the far-shore deep-water Thornton Bank wind farm and demonstration of innovative substructures (jacket foundations) for deep water off shore parks.
“With its decision [to give final approval] the Commission has laid the foundation for the development of two key sustainable technologies that will be essential in our fight against climate change,” said Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs. “This unique decision by the Commission not only gives a push to the economy and employment, but also it supports innovative energy technologies that may create further jobs and growth in the future.”
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