At Lowestoft Sizewell C’s CO2 capture facility
At Lowestoft, Sizewell C’s officials try a Co2 capture facility. A demonstration plant might serve an the model for a larger carbon capture facility at a future Suffolk nuclear power plant that could offset the majority of the UK’s train emissions.
Together, Sizewell C(SZC) and Associated British Ports(ABP) will build a “unique” Direct Air Capture(DAC) demonstrator site at the Port of Lowestoft. They claim that a larger variation of this could have a “big impact” on the UK’s strategy to reduce carbon emissions and achieve net zero.
Carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere by Direct Air Capture and then stored. According to to Sizewell C executives, this could possibly capture 1.5 million tonnes of CO2 annually, which would be sufficient to offset almost all of the UK’s emissions from railroad transportation.
Sizwell C and its collaborators Birmingham University, Nottingham University, Helical, Atkins, and Altrad Babcock received a £3 million government grant in 2022 to create the DAC technology as part of the Greenhouse Gas Removals competition.
https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/23413913.suffolk-nuclear-chiefs-test-co2-capture-plant-lowestoft/
The demonstrator unit’s engineering, design, building, and testing will all be done in the UK. In order to promote net zero innovation in the East of England, Sizewell C director Julia Pyke said:
“We are thrilled to be developing plans with ABP to locate the demonstrator DAC facility at the Port of Lowestoft. DAC is a part of our strategy to turn Sizewell C into a centre for low carbon innovation, which will help spur the development of additional technologies and add even more value to our energy system.”
It was “a great step forward in the two companies’ pursuit of net zero”, said ABP regional director Andrew Harston. The project is in line with SZC’s emphasis on the creation of clean, low carbon energy as well as ABP’s released strategy, which aims to achieve Net Zero by 2040.
ABP anticipates continuing to assist the construction at Sizewell C and looks forward to the DAC development starting as soon as is practical. Atkins and Altrad Babcock will use their knowledge of industrial engineering to provide advice on the technology’s scalability for SZC’s potential incorporation in the future.
Sizewell C’s waste permits
Suffolk nuclear facility waste permits have been granted. The proposed facility, which would be located just to the north of the current Sizewell B plant, is estimated to cost around £20 billion.
The government authority has approved environmental licences for the planned Sizewell C nuclear power station’s waste disposal. The refuse from the new plant’s construction, launching, operation, and continuing decommissioning of Sizewell A will be covered by the Environment Agency licences.
EDF Energy NNB Generation Company(SZC) Ltd submitted a permission application. Stop Sizewell C, a protest organisation, stated that it was disappointed that permits had been given for the Suffolk shore location.
The Environment Agency reported that it conducted consultations on the proposal from July to October 2020 and on its planned September 2022. It has now reached a judgement and granted licences to encompass the following in March 2020.
1) To dispose of and release radioactive refuse, you need an authorisation for radioactive substances operation.
2) Utilising diesel generators for backup power provision requires a combustion activity authorisation.
3) Water release activity permission to sen treated sewage effluent, two fish recovery and return systems, and other liquid commerce effluents(including returned abstracted saltwater from the cooling water system) to the Greater Sizewell Bay.
According to the agency’s website, they believe that the restrictions and requirements in the permits are appropriate to protect both people and the environment.
“We’re disappointed with the approval of these permits, but it’s important to keep in mind that Sizewell C still lacks the authorisation to begin building and faces a host of other legal and financial challenges”, explained Paul Collins of Stop Sizewell C.
He further went on to explain that he was particularly dissatisfied with the water discharge permit because, unlike at Hinkly Point C in Somerset, where the government believes that an acoustic fish deterrent is required to reduce fish deaths, the Environment Agency has determined that none is required at Sizewell C.
Thousands of fish will perish every day in Sizewell C’s cooling system as a consequence of this. Grant Shapps, the Business Secretary announced a £700 million government investment in the initiative 2022.
The two-reactor facility was given government approval in July 2022, when Boris Johnson was the prime minster, and EDF Energy claimed it could supply 7% of the UK’s energy requirements.
Anti-nuclear power activists also launched a judicial assault earlier March 2023 against the development consent that Kwarteng, who was serving as business secretary at the time, had approved.
Source: East Anglican daily news, EDF Energy, gov.uk
