As of September 30, 2016, the Carbon Capture and Sequestration Technologies program at MIT has closed. The website is being kept online as a reference but will not be updated.

Near Zero Emission Coal (NZEC) Fact Sheet: Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage Project

Company/Alliance: Alliance between China, EU, UK and Norway (The UK funding is from Defra and DBERR and is coordinated by AEA Energy and Environment (UK) and ACCA21 (China))

Location: China

Feedstock: Coal

Size: To be decided but it will be between 750 MW and 1000 MW

Capture Technology: To be decided

CO2 Fate: Sequestration. 2 locations being investigated for storage: 1) Daqing and Jilin oil fields and saline aquifers of the Songliao Basin. 2) Oil fields of the Jiangsu Depression in the Subei Basin

Timing: Phase 1: Feasibility study was launched November 2007 and will last 18 months
Phase 2: Plant design (2008-2010)
Phase 3: construction and operation (2010-2014)
To date there is no knowledge of construction starting on this project or of any plans to move this project forward since 2009

Motivation/Economics:

The EU supports research projects in the field of NZEC with a total value of €75 million (US$103 million) with €1.5 million (US$ 2 million) going towards Chinese Institutes. The UK plans on supporting the Phase 1 assessment with approximately £3.5 million (US$ 7 million) of the total £4.5-7.5 million (US$ 9-15 million) expected cost. Phase 2 is estimated to cost between £7.5 -15 million (US$ 15-30 million). Phase 3 could range between £35-750 million (US$ 70-1500 million) based on the technology chosen.

Norway joined the NZEC partnership, May 2010, with a contribution of US $9.3 million. The then Secretary of State Ed Miliband announced in November 2009 that the UK would contribute £6m to NZEC Phase II, as part of a package of funding with other European countries.

Comments:

Phase 1 will study a range of CCS options and assess the carbon storage capacity in China. The second phase will explore alternatives for actual CCS facilities, while the third phase will encompass CCS project demonstrations. The BGS (The British Geological Survey) and the China University of Petroleum (Beijing) are currently coordinating the potential geological storage part of the study. This includes selecting strategic sedimentary basins to be mapped for potential regional CO2 storage assessments followed by more detailed assessments of sites. Other partnerships that are currently involved with this project are oil companies and universities and form CO2 GeoNet.

Project Link: NZEC project website

Other Sources and Press Releases:
Norway joins NZEC partnership with $9.3 million(May 2010)
NZEC Newsletters
Defra: Working with Developing Countries - China
EU finances NZEC CCS project (June 2009)
NZEC project info [PDF] (2008)
Landmark carbon capture and storage workshop in Beijing (July 2006)
Meeting UK Energy and Climate Needs: Appendix 34: Annex 2: Proposal for EU-China Collaboration: Near-Zero Emissions Coal with CO2 Capture and Storage (February 2006)
UK Signs Agreement with China on Near Zero Emissions Coal-Fired Electricity (December 2005)
CO2 GeoNet