A key Humber carbon capture storage and transportation project is expanding beyond the region.
West Burton Energy in Nottinghamshire has entered into a partnership with Viking CCS, the Harbour Energy scheme looking to clean up the refinery-led cluster. The independent power generation company operates a combined cycle gas turbine plant - West Burton B - with a capacity of 1.3GW.
It is a move described as diversifying the range of CO2 capture projects within the Viking CCS network. It has just been renamed from V Net Zero, reflecting the title of the North Sea gas fields it aims to repurpose, with the shipping in of greenhouse gases also proposed via Port of Immingham.
Read more: Former Energy Secretary claims government has been 'backsliding' on green agenda
Steve Cox, executive vice president for health, safety, environment, security and global services at Harbour Energy, said: “West Burton Energy’s decision to join the Viking CCS cluster marks a significant step forward in the project’s aim to reduce the UK’s industrial emissions. It extends our geographic footprint further beyond the Humber region to inland emitters in Nottinghamshire, helping to decarbonise the UK’s extended power network and meet the UK’s net zero goals.”
Harbour Energy and West Burton Energy have recently begun the necessary engineering design to connect to the high-capacity Viking CCS storage sites located deep beneath the Southern North Sea.
From the Humber, West Burton sits just below Gainsborough, 15 miles south of the Keadby power generation cluster - part of a separately-led Zero Carbon Humber CCS and hydrogen proposal - and 43 miles west of the Theddlethorpe Gas Terminal, from where Viking will feed out to the reservoirs, repurposing the existing 120km LOGGS pipeline.
As well as evaluating post-combustion carbon capture technology as part of the process, West Burton is also examining the deployment of hydrogen co-firing and further electricity storage facilities. It already operates 49MW of battery storage, while providing stability services to the electricity grid.
Chris Elder, chief executive of West Burton Energy, said: “We are delighted to be working with Harbour Energy to decarbonise West Burton B’s energy, furthering our investment in the Nottinghamshire area. This project will ensure that we can continue to provide safe, efficient, flexible and reliable generation to power the UK whilst supporting our ongoing commitment to help Britain in its pathway to achieve net zero.”
Plans have been submitted by Harbour for a new 55km pipeline linking the Immingham-area with Theddlethorpe, largely via the same route gas was once transported to power industry there. It is understood a number of routing options are being evaluated, avoiding any impact on the Lincolnshire Wolds area of outsanding natural beauty that sits between West Burton and the coast.
Read next:
Could research funding be a roadblock to Net Zero? Hull's new vice chancellor airs concerns
Energy consultancy secures significant backing to grow team as demand for services escalates
Huge green hydrogen proposal unveiled for Port of Immingham as Air Products and ABP unite
Clinical waste win spurs international ambition for recycling specialist
All your Humber business news in one place - bookmark it now
