Unique CO2 capture test results achieved at Värtaverket plant in Stockholm
CO2 Emissions can be Reduced Quickly
(Stockholm – Oslo, 17 June 2008) Scandinavian power group Fortum and Norwegian clean energy specialist Sargas today made public the final result of their cooperative work on a experimental pilot project for capturing CO2 from coal power production at the Värtaverket plant in Stockholm. The result of the experiment gave an average capture rate of over 95 per cent. The results confirm that a functional cleansing technique is now available to be taken into use.
If all new coal power stations to be built in the world were based on Sargas’ technology, the Cicero researchers say that it could change the climate change prognosis significantly and positively.
In the period November 2007 – February 2008 Sargas, in collaboration with Fortum, has tested its Ultra Low Emissions technology. This was developed in cooperation with, amongst others, the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Siemens. The Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) at Kjeller has assisted with the control of methods and results. A scaled-down capture component has been built at Værtan, beside one of the plant’s large coal-fired boilers. Exhaust gas has then been ducted under pressure from the boiler into this cleansing column, which uses similar technology to that used worldwide in applications that include ammonia production. This pressurised solution consistently captured over 95 per cent of the CO2 content of the exhaust gas for the whole test period.
"Through the project we have obtained scientific proof that our technology works. It means that we can now offer coal power station solutions with CO2 capture to the market on commercial terms. Our solution is based on standard industrial components – boiler and cleansing plant. We have managed to make them work together in a new way, using a technological solution we have developed and patented worldwide. Because of this we have no scaling problems as the main components are in daily use independently all over the world. Coal is a cheap fuel for power production and will have a central role as an energy carrier for the foreseeable future in large parts of the world. Our technology means that the world can continue to utilise coal in the future as well, but without the climate suffering," says Henrik Fleischer, Chief Executive Officer of Sargas.