Power shortages a possibility for the UK on carbon cutbacks - Drax Power
The topical carbon emissions trading scheme set to commence this January could cause electricity generation in the UK to drop by 10% from next year, the head of environment for Drax Power, cautioned on Tuesday.
Speaking to the government, Nigel Burdett warned that the UK could potentially be short anywhere between 35 and 40 TWh as a result of cutbacks imposed on certain generators. Even the Drax power station, at 4,000 MW, is Britain’s largest coal-fired plant and therefore releasing the greatest amount of carbon dioxide, could have a shortfall of up to 7.6/TWh a year.
In the present scenario, Burdett said Drax would only generate more electricity if the price of electricity rose to accommodate the additional cost of purchasing CO2 allowances.
However, the company does appear to be taking the purchase of renewables obligations certificates (ROCs) seriously. In March the company conducted biomass trials to establish whether Drax could operate at a high load factor whilst burning 5% biomass (see EDEM 8055). By doing this, it could reduce its CO2 emissions by 700,000 tonnes per year. Co-firing with biomass would enable Drax to earn ROCs.
Drax Power is not the first utility to investigate the potential of biomass burning. Also in March, the Ironbridge and Kingsnorth coal-fired stations commenced burning biomass commercially (see EDEM 8051). E.Onowned Powergen will be allotted ROCs from the 450,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases displaced every year by the two biomass burners.
The UK target for CO2 reductions under the Kyoto protocol is 16.3% by 2012. The government hopes to meet its obligations under the Protocol, notably through the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme EU-ETS. FF
Other Related Stories
