The joint UK-China Near Zero Emissions Coal (NZEC) initiative addresses the challenge of increasing energy production from coal in China and the need to tackle growing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Carbon dioxide emissions from China’s increasing coal use are set to double to more than 5,000 million tonnes per year by 2030 [IEA World Energy Outlook 2007].
The EU-China NZEC agreement was signed at the EU-China Summit under the UK’s presidency of the EU in September 2005 as part of the EU-China Partnership on Climate Change. The agreement has the objective of demonstrating advanced, near zero emissions coal technology through carbon capture and storage (CCS) in China and the EU by 20201. The UK-China bilateral NZEC iniative was developed in support of this wider agreement.
CCS involves capturing the carbon dioxide in fossil fuels either before or after combustion and storing it for the long-term in deep geological formations such as depleted oil or gas fields. As part of the storage process, the captured CO2 can be used to enhance hydrocarbon (oil, gas or coal-bed methane) production. CCS technology can reduce carbon dioxide emissions from large industrial sources and coal-fired power stations by around 85%. CCS therefore has the potential to be an essential technology to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and allow the continued use of fossil fuels for energy security, without damaging climate security.
The UK envisages an ambitious three-phase approach to achieve the NZEC demonstration objective. Phase 1 will explore options for demonstration and build capacity for CCS in China. Phase 2 will carry out further development work on storage and capture options leading to Phase 3, which will construct a demonstration plant by 2014.
Phase 1 is supported by funding of up to £3.5 million from the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), and is being taken forward in partnership with the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). For details on the consortium of UK and Chinese experts involved in the project, click here.
Phase 1 of NZEC will involve a two year work programme to help build capacity for CCS technology in China, develop stronger links between Chinese and British experts, and study a range of options for early demonstration of CCS for coal-fired power generation in China. Phase 1 began in November 2007 and will end in autumn 2009. Its scope was developed through extensive consultation between the UK and its Chinese partners, including a major international workshop in Beijing in July 2006.
Knowledge sharing with other CCS initiatives will be a key activity for the project. NZEC will work particularly closely with the COACH project (COoperation Action within CCS CHina-EU). This project, which is partially funded by the EU under the 6th Framework Programme, aims to prepare the ground for implementation in China of large-scale polygeneration energy facilities with options for coal-based electric power generation as well as production of hydrogen and synthetic fuels. These facilities require CO2 capture and geological storage (including use for enhanced oil or gas recovery). COACH addresses three issues:
1For information on the EU-China Memorandum of Understanding see the EU website here. For information on Defra's work with China see their website here.