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Alstom – pioneering carbon capture and storage
With fossil fuels set to account for 60% of electricity production by 2030*, our attention focuses on two main categories of carbon capture and storage (CCS):
- Oxy combustion
- Post combustion capture
Our strategy has been developed through our belief that these technologies are not only the most economically viable and sustainable solutions for our customers, but also because they can be retrofitted to an existing installed base. This is essential for meeting future emission targets.
Explaining CCS principles
In the video below, we explain our CCS technologies and the benefits they can provide. Leading the discussion is Philippe Paelinck, Director of CO2 Business Development for Alstom Power. Watch the video to learn more.
Our commitment to R&D in CCS processes
We’re continuing our significant R&D efforts in CCS and are validating the technologies at a number of pilot and demonstration projects around the world. We’re working closely with our partners towards full-scale commercialisation that will be available on the market around 2015.
As we further validate CCS solutions, we’re offsetting risk of stranded assets by offering customers a ‘CCS ready’ plant concept. This takes into account the needs of customers who purchase plants today, ensuring they are not penalised financially when the technology becomes available – in essence, future proofing their commitment.
This limits the time for plant outages and unnecessary expenses, as well as easing the integration time of the CO2 capture plant.
This video, presented in Norwegian with English subtitles, looks at our latest facility for testing and improving CO2 capture in Mongstad, Norway. Get a rare glimpse of the innovative chilled ammonia plant under construction, with supporting commentary from Katherine Næsland, Process Engineer for Alstom.
* IEA Energy Outlook, 2008
Success stories
Learn more about how Alstom is leading the field in CCS solutions worldwide.
Brandenburg, Germany
Using an Alstom-engineered and built oxy-combustion steam generator system, the Vattenfall pilot plant operates on air-firing as well as oxy-firing modes. The pilot plant, with its complete oxy-combustion process chain, is intended to validate and support the technical concept and serve as the main step towards the construction of a 200-300 MW plant, generating “near-zero CO2” electricity by 2015.
Pleasant Prairie, USA
We Energies’ chilled ammonia CO2 capture pilot in Wisconsin, USA went into operation in 2008. The pilot, designed to capture 15,000 metric tonnes of CO2 per year, has already logged more than 7,000 operating hours and subjected to 24 x 7 operations to prove reliability – it succeeded and captured 90% of all CO2 in continuous operation at full load.