Drax Power Station to Capture Carbon

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The UK’s Drax Power Station was a 1,980 megawatt coal-burning power station when commissioned in 1975. By 1986, its capacity had doubled to 6 units. This made it the country’s largest carbon-dioxide emitter. However there was too much money invested in it to simply shut it down. Moreover it produces 6% of the UK’s energy.

Drax Power Station Starts Burning Biomass in 2010

drax power station
Green at Drax 2009: Akuppa: CC 2.0

Drax Power began burning experimental biomass fuel instead of coal in 2010. Two years later, it announced plans to convert 3 units to solely biomass-burning ones. The conversion was complete by 2016.

Drax Power converted a 4th unit to biomass in 2018.  It then announced plans to convert the remaining 2 units to 3.6 GW closed-cycle gas turbine units. These units would have 200MW battery storage for instant start up. When this work is complete Drax Power Station will have made the transition from fossil to semi-green. However it will still be pumping out CO2 greenhouse gases.

First European Carbon-Dioxide Capture Project at Drax

Drax Power Station burns 7 million tons of wood chips each year it imports from the United States and Canada. It is currently learning how to capture 1 ton a day of carbon-dioxide from the burning chips. These are baby steps, but at least it is a start.

drax power station
Still a Valuable Asset: Gordon Kneale Brooke: CC 2.0

Forests absorb carbon dioxide as they grow. You can call it their fuel if you like. Therefore burning their wood is a carbon-neutral event. However, if we succeed in capturing this carbon we reduce greenhouse gases slightly. This makes the experiment at Drax Power Station a global event.

Drax is co-piloting the experiment with Leeds University. They plan to ‘drizzle’ a chemical in the amine group down the flue gas chimney. This absorbs the carbon-dioxide but they can extract it later and recycle the amine. The project is controversial, but still one to watch in terms of taming coal.

Related

Making Drax Power Station Somewhat Greener

Sawing Off the Branch We Sit On

Preview Image: Drax Power Station Cooling Towers

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I tripped over a shrinking bank balance and fell into the writing gig unintentionally. This was after I escaped the corporate world and searched in vain for ways to become rich on the internet by doing nothing. Despite the fact that writing is no recipe for wealth, I rather enjoy it. I will not deny I am obsessed with it when I have the time. I live in Margate on the Kwazulu-Natal south coast of South Africa. I work from home where I ponder on the future of the planet, and what lies beyond in the great hereafter. Sometimes I step out of my computer into the silent riverine forests, and empty golden beaches for which the area is renowned. Richard

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