RWE, the largest power generator in Wales, has announced plans to progress three new carbon capture projects as it leads the way towards helping decarbonise UK power.

Within the plan, RWE is developing proposals to deploy capture technology at its Pembroke Power Station. The project would enable the long term generation of up to 2.2 gigawatts (GW) of decarbonised, secure, flexible generation, and up to 5 Mt/year of CO2 capture the equivalent of removing one million petrol cars from the road.

As operators of the largest fleet of gas fired power stations in the UK and a leading renewables generator, RWE considers carbon capture and storage (CCS) to be a viable solution for delivering decarbonised, reliable, and dispatchable power generation, whilst supporting the UK’s target of decarbonising its power system by 2035.   As well as being key to the UK’s long term energy security, the three proposed CCS projects will play a key part in helping RWE achieve its own global ambition to be carbon neutral by 2040 – targets aligned with the Paris Agreement.

Tom Glover, UK Country Chair for RWE, commented:

“In order to decarbonise the power sector, support security of supply and enable large scale industrial decarbonisation, it is important that clean gas generation projects are developed. Carbon capture can support the expansion of the other renewable and low carbon technologies that RWE is a leader in deploying, by providing energy security through firm and flexible provision of electricity that is not reliant on weather.  I am pleased to announce our plans for three UK carbon capture projects, representing an important step in our progression towards decarbonising our existing gas fleet.”

The project is a key part of RWE’s Pembroke Net Zero Centre (PNZC), a major multi-technology decarbonisation initiative in South Wales, which supports the broader decarbonisation of the region’s industry as part of the South Wales Industrial Cluster. Using RWE’s decades of experience and expertise in power production, the PNZC will bring together three key pillars of energy infrastructure – the decarbonisation of the gas-fired Pembroke Power Station: the production of green hydrogen on site, and the development of floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea.

Richard Little, Director of PNZC, commented:

“We are pleased to announce our plans for a Pembroke Power Station carbon capture project. This project is a key element of our Pembroke Net Zero Centre and important to support the Welsh government ambitions for carbon neutrality. The project will support decarbonisation of the power sector, support security of supply and large scale industrial decarbonisation.”

RWE is currently progressing with initial environmental studies and surveys and is preparing information in order to apply to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Track 2 Phase 2 cluster sequencing funding application process, which is dedicated to carbon capture projects that are located close to carbon capture storage or transport facilities.

The Pembroke carbon capture initiative is being developed by RWE as one of three new carbon capture projects across the UK, which aim to provide a viable solution to delivering reliable and dispatchable power stations, whilst supporting the UK’s target of a net zero energy industry by 2035.

In addition to Pembroke, the other projects are at RWE’s existing station at Staythorpe and a new-build gas fired power station with carbon capture at Stallingborough. All three are close to proposed CO2 networks or have access to shipping facilities, which would enable the CO2 to be safely transported and stored. Together, the projects would form an important part of a robust and comprehensive energy network that ensures the UK has stable and secure generation whenever it is needed 1.

More information about the project will be available over the coming months including community information events, for information about RWE’s decarbonisation projects see here link.