Company/Alliance: Vattenfall
Location: Pilot: Schwarze Pumpe, south-east of Berlin, Germany
Feedstock: Coal (lignite)
Size: 30 MWth pilot plant, 300 MW demo plant, 1000 MW commercial plant
Capture Technology: Oxyfuel combustion and post combustion
CO2 Fate: Not yet determined between sequestration and EOR
Timing: Pilot plant construction continues (2007), pilot plant commissioning (2008), demo plant construction begins (2010), demo plant commissioning (2015), and commercial plant operation (2020)
Motivation/Economics: The pilot plant will have flexibility in terms of construction and exchange of components such as the burners. However, the demo plant will require efficient heat integration measures in order to operate under commercially viable conditions. The total investment is €50 million (US$ 68 million) in the pilot plant. Further information on the cost of the project is not yet available.
Comments: This project is also known as the CO2-Free Power Plant Project. Vattenfall began collaborating with two R&D projects on CCS technology at the end of 2006. Vattenfall is currently sponsoring through the CO2 GeoNet European Network of Excellence, a network sponsored by the European Commission from 2004 to 2009, the Joint Research Activities Programme 18 “Monitoring near-surface leakage and its impacts.” It is also collaborating with the Imperial College of London to perform a life cycle assessment (LCA) of the CCS process.
Project Link: Vattenfall CO2 Free Power Plant
Other Sources and Press Release:
Bridging to the Future: Vattenfall's newsletter on the CO2-free power plant project
Pilot Plant at Schwarze Pumpe information
Vattenfall’s CO2-Free Power Plant Project [PDF]
Zero Emission Fossil Fuel Power Plants [PDF] (November 2006)
German Chancellor Merkel launches ground-breaking for Vattenfall’s CO2 free lignite power plant (May 2006)
Vattenfall Europe: Energy Paths - Horizon 2050 [PDF] (March 2006)
IEA GHG Workshop on Oxyfuel Vattenfall's Activities [PDF] (November 2005)
