RWE to slash carbon emissions

RWE npower has signed contracts for a £100m project that is expected to cut carbon dioxide emissions from its Little Barford Power Station by around 40,000 tonnes a year.

The programme of investment to improve the efficiency, reliability and environmental performance of the combined cycle gas turbine station at St Neots, Cambridgeshire, will see major equipment upgraded including the station’s two existing gas turbines.

The upgrade to Little Barford, now in its 14th year of commercial operation, will also increase the station’s potential net output to around 700MW, which RWE claims is enough power for around 800,000 homes.

The upgrade to the gas turbines will incorporate technology from GE, which will carry out the work on behalf of RWE npower.

To support the running of the station’s upgraded turbines, which are expected to be in commercial operation by the third quarter of 2012, Little Barford’s control system will also be upgraded.