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Publish date: October 22, 2009
Written by: Veronica Webster
News
The European Technology Platform for Zero Emission Fossil Fuel Power Plants (ZEP) hosted its fourth annual General Assembly on October 20th.
A speedier deployment of CO2 capture and storage (CCS) is required to curb CO2 emissions by 2015 so as to ensure that global temperature rises no more than 2°C, in accordance with recommendations by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
In view of this, MEP Davies called for the introduction of an Emission Performance Standard (EPS) to cap CO2 emissions from individual power plants.
“Further regulation is required at national or EU level. Directives are often badly implemented by Member States, who fail to meet targets. But amazingly, with the introduction of regulations, that don’t give any leeway to Member States’ interpretation, we see industry meeting required standards. Otherwise they’re out of business,” explained Davies.
However, according to Scott Brockett from the European Commission’s Environment Directorate-General, the Commission’s position holds that an EPS for the electricity sector would cause an inefficient allocation of resources within the sectors covered by the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), which includes all large emitting sources, such as steel and cement plants in addition to thermal power plants.
In response, Frederic Hauge, Bellona’s President pointed to the current inadequacy of the EU regulatory system.
Frederic Hauge. (Photo: Bellona)
Photo: (Foto: Dag Thorenfeldt)
In parallel, ZEP communications director Eric Drosin pointed out that there are other potential impediments to a speedy deployment of CCS. Drosin explained that in a recent survey in Germany, only 1 percent of those questioned were familiar with CCS. This highlights the need to promote an awareness and understanding that will allow civil society to make an informed judgement regarding CCS.
“In the 1970s we combated acid rain largely due to the high level of public support present at the time. A similar situation is possible and necessary for CCS,” said Staffan Tilander, Swedish ambassador for climate change.
From a broader and more long-term perspective, Frederic Hauge reminded the attendees that CCS must not be limited to coal plants.
“Combating climate change post-2020 is made impossible without the extension of CCS to other greenhouse gas emitters, such as natural gas, steel or cement,” explained Hauge.
Recent attacks on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant "mark the beginning of a new and gravely dangerous front of the war," the UN atomic agency's director general said last week.
After years of inaction, Germany is working on its Carbon Management Strategy to resolve how CCS can play a role in climate action in industry. At the end of February, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action published first key points and a proposal to amend the law Kohlenstoffdioxid Speicherungsgesetz (KSpG). Bellona Deutschland, who was actively involved in the previous stakeholder dialogue submitted a statement in the association hearing.
In the midst of a global discussion on whether natural gas should be used as a transitional fuel and whether emissions from its extraction, production, transport and use are significantly less than those from other fossil fuels, Russia has developed ambitious plans to increase its own production of liquified natural gas (LNG) in the Arctic – a region with 75% of proven gas reserves in Russia – to raise its share in the international gas trade.
In this news digest, we monitor events that impact the environment in the Russian Arctic. Our main focus lies in identifying the factors that contribute to pollution risks and climate change.