Sizewell C secures the financing for the development of a direct air collection
A consortium led by Sizewell C has received £ 250,000 from the government to develop Direct Air Capture (DAC) plans that could operate on the proposed new nuclear power plant for Suffolk
Funding was provided through the government’s Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, which supports the development of low carbon technologies.
Engineers and carbon capture experts at the University of Nottingham, Strata Technology, Atkins and Doosan Babcock are working with Sizewell C on a design study for a unique DAC system that runs on low-carbon heat.
Direct air capture removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which is then stored so that it cannot contribute to climate change.
Some of the carbon dioxide (CO2) can also be “recycled” for other purposes such as converting it into synthetic fuels.
The DAC system proposed by the consortium is more efficient than other models as it requires little to no electricity and can use heat over a wide temperature range.
Nuclear is the cheapest way to produce low carbon heat, and using it could significantly reduce the cost of this new technology.
Proposals for the pilot project were submitted by the consortium as part of the government’s Green House Gas Removal (GGR) competition, which aims to accelerate the development of carbon capture systems.
P&R technologies are vital to helping the UK achieve net zero emissions as they help offset the carbon generated by hard-to-decarbonise industries like agriculture and aviation.
All engineering and design activities for the pilot are carried out in the UK to develop UK DAC technology.
Sizewell C is already developing plans for hydrogen production to reduce carbon emissions from building the power plant and provide fuel for local transportation and industry.
Dismantling from the pandemic
Sizewell C’s Finance Director Julia Pyke said, “In our transition to net zero, it is important to find a way to reduce the cost of direct air sensing. Powering DAC with heat from Sizewell C can make the power plant carbon negative.
“This has exciting potential for our fight against climate change and shows how nuclear power can make our energy system even more valuable.”
Energy Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: “We are determined to fight climate change and make it a win-win situation for our planet and our economy.
“Just six months ago, the Prime Minister had a clear 10-point plan to create and support up to 250,000 UK jobs as we green and rebuild the pandemic.”
Strata Technology General Manager Roger Kimber added, “I am delighted that Strata can bring its extensive knowledge and experience of carbon capture and pilot-scale process development to the consortium. Our engineering team is looking forward to developing a technically and economically viable company solution for direct air collection with our partners. “
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