CCS is a process that allows carbon dioxide (CO2) to be captured from power stations to prevent it from entering the Earth’s atmosphere. It’s a technology that is developing all the time and could well make fossil-fuelled generation a viable low-carbon option for the future.

The UK Government is holding a competition to build a CCS plant on an industrial scale with the aim of demonstrating the capture, transportation and storage of carbon dioxide from a power plant. E.ON has been shortlisted to participate in this competition.

Bob Taylor, Managing Director of Generation, said: “The UK faces a massive challenge over the next decade. We need more power for our homes and businesses, and we need to deliver this in a way which minimises our impact on the environment and keeps energy as affordable as possible.

“On a global level, we believe that the development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology is critical if we are to tackle the threat of climate change, and we hope to play a key role in its development.”

Carbon Capture and Storage (PDF, 227KB)

The animation below assumes pre-combustion clean coal technology (Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle - IGCC), proposed in our feasibility study for the possibility of building an IGCC plant next to our Killinghome Power Station.

There is also post-combustion clean coal technology, which we're planning to replace the existing coal-fired units with at Kingsnorth Power Station.