Alstom to join Global Institute to speed up the development of Carbon Capture and Storage technology

Alstom is delighted to announce that it will become a founding member of
the Global Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Institute. The Institute is
an initiative of the Australian government and the Prime Minister, the
Hon Kevin Rudd MP.

The Institute will seek ways to work cooperatively to help reduce the amount of C02 released into the atmosphere. A key focus of the Institute will be in finding ways to develop and commercialise CCS technology. It will aim to accelerate carbon projects through a variety of measures including the facilitation of demonstration projects and promoting necessary research including regulatory settings and frameworks. The participants in the Institute also recognise the urgent need for a global portfolio of commercial-scale CCS technology projects, in order to achieve commercial deployment by 2020.

Joan MacNaughton CB, Senior Vice President, Power and Environmental Policies Alstom Power Systems said:

We were one of the first companies working in this area to respond to this extremely welcome initiative of the Australian government.

We share their view that climate change is a defining challenge of our generation, and that carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology must play a critical role in addressing that challenge. According to the IEA (International Energy Agency), CCS could provide a quarter of the CO2 emission reduction needed globally in 2050. The IEA analysis states that without CCS, reducing the volume of CO2 emissions to the same extent could cost $1,300 billion a year more, in todays prices.

Our interest in CCS technology and its commercialisation is a long-standing one. Alstom is a worldwide leader in technologies for reducing CO2 from power generation and in air quality control systems for power stations. We have developed three technologies for carbon capture: advanced amine scrubbing, chilled ammonia process and oxy-firing.

Whichever technology is employed, CO2 reduction and capture technologies need to be incorporated in new power plants but also added to existing ones wherever they can, in a cost-effective manner and as soon as possible.  All interested parties need to work together to achieve this objective. We expect to offer CCS commercially from about 2015, assuming that the policy and financial conditions for CCS to be deployed are met. These include the regulatory framework, funding for the first wave of large-scale demo plants, and a stable and strong C02 pricing regime.

That is why we applaud the Australian Governments leadership in setting up this Institute and we look forward to playing an active role in its work.
 

Should you have any media inquiries about this press release, do not hesitate to contact our team.

Your press contacts