Powerfuel closer to EC funding

Powerfuel’s proposed power plant in Yorkshire is a step closer to winning €180m (£164m) funding from the European Commission.

The company’s Hatfield site near Doncaster has been recommended as a potential candidate for the funding and has beaten off rival schemes from E ON at Kingsnorth, RWE at Tilbury and Scottish Power at Longannet. The recommendation now requires approval from members of the European Parliament.

The 900MW plant would use CCS technology, which involves liquefying the carbon-dioxide emissions created by burning fossil fuels and then pumping them out to depleted gas fields.

Hatfield’s location is said to be ideal for developing a CCS Cluster because of its proximity to a large number of power stations that are close to depleted gas fields in the North Sea, where carbon can be safely stored.

Yorkshire Forward has been working closely with Powerfuel and the National Grid to develop a scheme to build a network of CO₂ pipelines, linking power stations and major industrial installations across Yorkshire and Humberside.

Five other European sites have been selected for CCS funding in Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Italy. The funding will come from the European Commission’s energy programme recovery fund, which is allocating €1.05bn (£0.96bn) to CCS, as well as €1.75bn (£1.6bn) for better international energy links.