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Saskatchewan and Montana develop joint CCS project
Projects / Policy, May 08 2009 (Carbon Capture Journal)
- Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer to work together on the development of a cross border CCS project.
The project involves the construction of a technology-neutral CO2 capture plant (reference plant) at an existing coal-fired electrical generating station in Saskatchewan that would have the flexibility to test a range of post-combustion carbon capture technologies.
A CO2 storage facility in eastern Montana will be built including injection infrastructure that allows the possibility to withdraw the CO2 for enhanced oil recovery at a later date.
New pipeline infrastructure for the transportation of CO2 from the reference plant in Saskatchewan to the storage facility in Montana, a distance of around 60 miles, would be required.
The project will also develop a North American training facility to meet the needs of a growing CCS industry and regulators, based primarily at the University of Regina and Montana State University.
The total cost of the project in Canadian dollars is estimated to be $270 million. On the Canadian side, it is approximately $150 million to design and build the CO2 reference plant, related CO2 pipeline infrastructure and a North American training facility for CCS technicians.
The Government of Saskatchewan will provide up to $50 million through Crown Investments Corporation and has requested funding of $100 million from the federal government through its Clean Energy Fund.
The State of Montana has requested $100 million (US) from the Government of the United States through the Department of Energy to support construction of a CO2 pipeline on the U.S. side of the border and development of the underground CO2 storage and research in the infrastructure in Montana.
"Both of our countries rely on coal as a low cost fuel for the majority of our power generation, but burning coal comes at a significant cost to our environment," Wall said. "This project will help us to meet our needs for power while developing new clean energy technologies to address the challenge of climate change."
Governor Schweitzer and Premier Wall agreed that the international carbon capture and storage demonstration project will also help address national policy priorities in both countries including the development of near zero, sustainable energy technologies; continental energy security and economic stimulus to support the North American economy.
A steering committee including Crown Investments Corporation President Ron Styles, SaskPower President Pat Youzwa and University of Regina President Vianne Timmons has been formed to oversee the Canadian component of the project. The committee will complete work on the development phase by August 31, 2009, including a full project plan, engineering design, business plan, detailed budget and construction timeline.
With the financial support of the Governments of Canada and the United States, construction of the plant could begin as early as September 2009 and the plant could be operational as early as the summer of 2011. The goal for the reference plant is to test a range of technologies in the capture of up to one million tonnes of CO2 over a four-year period.
