Rotterdam Capture Storage and Demonstration Project

The Rotterdam Capture Storage and Demonstration Project (ROAD) is a Carbon Capture and Storage demonstration project proposed to be built as a part of E.ON's new 1,100 Maasvlakte Power Station.

It aims to begin storing carbon dioxide in depleted gas fields under the North Sea in 2015.

Background
At the time it announced the project in 2006, E.ON stated that the company "is currently conducting a number of studies into CO2 sequestration. The new unit will be prepared for CO2 sequestration, as soon as this technique is commercially applicable. Potential for burning biomass will also be integrated into the design of the plant."

In February 2009 E.ON announced that it had teamed up with the Rotterdam Climate Initiative (RCI) to examine the possibility of of adding CCS to the proposed plant.

Funding
In May 2010 the Dutch government announced that it would spend €150m over 2010-2020 to support the project. This is in addition to €180m from the European Union allocated to the project from the Economic Recovery Program. It was reported that it is proposed that carbon dioxide from the project will be transported by an existing pipeline to the P18-A platform 20 kilometres offshore and then injected under the sea.

In an April 2010 presentation to the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum in Washington, GDF Suez outlined the project as being a post-combustion proejct aimed at capturing approximately 1.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, a 90% capture rate, from a 250MW capture unit. It noted that the energy penalty for the CCS unit would be approximately 55MW.

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * Carbon Capture and Storage
 * Carbon Capture and Storage in Europe
 * Carbon Capture and Storage demonstration projects worldwide
 * Europe and coal
 * Global use and production of coal

External resources

 * GDF Suez, CCS : a major challenge and opportunity for GDF SUEZ – risk update", Presentation to Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF), Washington, April 6, 2010