Plans for $2.4B carbon capture and storage project near Edmonton have been cancelled | CBC News
Plans for $2.4B carbon capture and storage project near Edmonton have been cancelled CBC.ca
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Capital Power Cancels $2.4 Billion Carbon Capture Project
Edmonton-based Capital Power Corp. has decided to abandon its plans for a $2.4 billion carbon capture and storage project at its Genesee natural gas-fired power plant southwest of Edmonton. The project aimed to capture up to three million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year near the village of Warburg in Leduc County.
Financial Infeasibility and Doubts on Carbon Capture Technology
The company officials announced on Wednesday that pursuing the project no longer makes financial sense. This cancellation adds to a series of carbon capture projects that have failed to meet expectations, raising doubts about the viability of the technology despite significant investments from Ottawa and provincial governments.
Government’s Perspective on Carbon Capture
Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault stated that Ottawa remains committed to carbon capture technology, although it is not seen as a comprehensive solution to the climate change problem. The federal government believes that carbon capture can play a role in reducing industry emissions, but it cannot fully fund every project. The government has allocated billions of dollars to support companies in their carbon capture and storage investments.
Call for Increased Investment and Market Confidence
Alberta’s environment minister, Rebecca Schulz, expressed disappointment with the federal government’s lack of investment and policy uncertainty, which has made projects like this economically unviable. She urged the federal government to provide more investment in carbon capture ventures and create market confidence for these investments. Schulz also highlighted the failure of the federal government to fulfill promised subsidies, including investment tax credits.
‘Not Economically Feasible’
Capital Power officials stated that while the Genesee project is technically viable, it is not economically feasible at this time. The company will redirect its resources to other opportunities. However, Capital Power remains open to revisiting carbon capture and storage in the future if the economics improve. The company aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.
Challenges and Future Energy Mix
Alberta’s electricity grid heavily relies on natural gas, and offsetting its emissions will require a combination of wind and solar energy, hydrogen, small modular nuclear reactors, and carbon capture and storage. Capital Power has also announced a partnership with Ontario Power Generation to explore the feasibility of small modular nuclear reactors for Alberta’s electricity grid.
Carbon Capture Technology and Process
Carbon capture involves capturing carbon dioxide emissions at the source, such as factories, power plants, or oilsands facilities, and injecting it underground. The Genesee project would have utilized carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology. The captured carbon would have been transported through Enbridge’s carbon hub to deep storage wells.
Targets Missed by Other Carbon Capture Projects
The Genesee project is not the only one to face challenges. Other carbon capture facilities in Canada have struggled to meet their stated goals. Shell’s Quest project near Edmonton has stored nine million tonnes of CO2 at a lower-than-expected cost, but its capture rate remains below the initial target. Sask Power’s Boundary Dam CCS project in Saskatchewan has also missed emissions targets, with an average capture rate of 57% instead of the intended 90%.
Debate on Carbon Capture’s Viability
The viability of carbon capture technology has been questioned by critics who argue that its potential has been overstated. Technical issues and the demand for carbon dioxide from the energy industry, which uses it for enhanced oil recovery, have limited the effectiveness of carbon capture. The International Energy Agency has also emphasized the need for oil and gas companies to explore other solutions instead of relying solely on carbon capture.
Recklessness of Government Subsidies
Environmental Defense associate director Julia Levin stated that Capital Power’s decision to cancel the project should serve as a lesson against using taxpayer dollars to subsidize carbon capture ventures. Despite receiving substantial subsidies, the project was still abandoned. Levin argues that carbon capture is unnecessary, ineffective, and expensive, and prevention of carbon dioxide emissions should be the primary focus.
Could Carbon Capture Help Canada Meet Climate Objectives?
Watch the video below to learn more about carbon capture’s potential role in Canada’s climate objectives:
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
-
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
- Target 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
- Indicator 7.2.1: Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption.
-
SDG 13: Climate Action
- Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
- Indicator 13.2.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning into primary, secondary, and tertiary curricula.
- Indicator 13.2.2: Number of countries that have communicated the strengthening of institutional, systemic, and individual capacity-building to implement adaptation, mitigation, and technology transfer.
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SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
- Target 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes.
- Indicator 9.4.1: CO2 emission per unit of value added.
Analysis
The article addresses the issues related to carbon capture and storage projects and their viability in achieving sustainable development goals. The specific SDGs, targets, and indicators identified based on the article’s content are as follows:
1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
The article highlights the challenges faced by carbon capture projects, which are aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. The failure of these projects raises questions about the feasibility and effectiveness of carbon capture technology in achieving clean energy goals.
2. SDG 13: Climate Action
The article discusses the role of carbon capture projects in reducing Canada’s carbon footprint. The targets and indicators related to climate action, such as integrating climate change measures into national policies and strengthening capacity-building for adaptation and mitigation, are relevant to the issues discussed.
3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
The article mentions the need to upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable. The indicator related to CO2 emission per unit of value added is relevant in measuring progress towards sustainable industrial processes.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy | Target 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. | Indicator 7.2.1: Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption. |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning. | Indicator 13.2.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning into primary, secondary, and tertiary curricula. |
| Indicator 13.2.2: Number of countries that have communicated the strengthening of institutional, systemic, and individual capacity-building to implement adaptation, mitigation, and technology transfer. | ||
| SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure | Target 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes. | Indicator 9.4.1: CO2 emission per unit of value added. |
Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.
Fuente: cbc.ca
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