The purpose of RWE launching a feasibility study for Carbon Capture technology at Great Yarmouth Power Station, would be to determine the best way to add the technology to the plant. The use of carbon capture technology at this plant, would be a huge benefit to the project, whilst it would also benefit other parties, including the environment.

The Great Yarmouth Carbon Capture Project is located in Norfolk, along the east coast of England and the addition of carbon capture technology would bring the plant the ability to generate 400 megawatts of decarbonised electricity. This would be made possible as the technology would be able to capture an estimated 600,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.

As Great Yarmouth is a natural-gas-fired combined-cycle gas and steam turbine power plant, it is already capable of meeting the needs of an estimated 300,000 households. RWE has suggested that through adding carbon capture technology to the plant, the use of this technology, could lead the plant to producing decarbonised, reliable and dispatchable power. This potential, combined with the plant’s excellent location, its ability to be efficient, flexible and to be started or shut down quickly and reliably dependent on energy demands, means that adding carbon capture technology to the plant’s system, could mean the plant is able to support and add to the UK’s drive towards a net zero power system by 2035. This idea is both excellent and realistic, as if this plant were combined with RWE’s three other CCS developments, altogether the projects would be able to generate 5.1 gigawatts of low carbon electricity.

Furthermore, as the Great Yarmouth station is already connected to a gas pipeline that belongs to the Bacton gas terminal, it is already in an ideal location for connecting to the new carbon storage facilities. These facilities are currently under development within the region and once all of these projects are completed and fully operational, there is clearly large potential for this project to benefit many households, as well as to help with the drive towards a net zero power system.

RWE Project Development Manager, Andy Wilkins, commented, “We are pleased to announce the start of a Carbon Capture feasibility study at Great Yarmouth Power Station as a continuation of our journey towards a decarbonised gas fleet. Carbon capture can support the expansion of other renewable and low carbon technologies that RWE is already a leader in deploying, by providing energy security through firm and flexible provision of electricity.”