Carbon Capture Train

[Potterlad]

Just seen this article which indicates the possibility of Carbon Dioxide trains from Ferrybridge to Seal Sands, although I can't see a timescale mentioned.

Carbon Capture train

Does this stand a chance of actually happening or is it just the owners of Ferrybridge wanting to sound like they are trying to be carbon neutral but then quietly dropping the idea?

If it does happen, what is the current condition of the Seal Sands branch? I'm aware very little, if anything, has been down that way for a long while but I didn't think the line still carried on as far as seal sands.

Would be good if it did happen though as it may lead to many more similar projects and more freight traffic. When was the last time CO2 etc was carried by train?

 

[xotGD]

The government has allocated £20 billion to fund CCS, so yes, I think that there is a decent prospect that this might happen. But not before 2030, would be my estimate.

 

[43096]

Presumably it will have to be diesel hauled…

 

[dan4291]

Presumably it will have to be diesel hauled…

Most certainly, but that's still better than transporting it by road with loads of lorries.

 

[43096]

Most certainly, but that's still better than transporting it by road with loads of lorries.

It depends how those lorries are powered. By the time this becomes a reality, battery power may well be possible.

 

[Deepgreen]

It depends how those lorries are powered. By the time this becomes a reality, battery power may well be possible.

Still hugely more efficient to go by rail in bulk.

 

[chesterred16]

From memory of visiting the terminal at Seal Sands, the track isn't in good nick, in fact I think it's concreted over in places. Will need total renewal before anything runs on it.

 

[HSTEd]

If they are planning to ship large amounts of CO2 the obvious answer would be a pipeline.

If it is not large quantities the obvious thing to do would be to shut the Ferrybridge incinerator and ship the waste to the Wilton complex instead.

 

[Class 170101]

It says it will then be shipped out to undersea aquifers but I always thought they held (maybe fresh) water doesn't sound right to me.

As pointed out abiove why not just pipe it all the way?

 

[xotGD]

It says it will then be shipped out to undersea aquifers but I always thought they held (maybe fresh) water doesn't sound right to me.

As pointed out abiove why not just pipe it all the way?

The storage options are saline aquifers, containing brine or depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs. Not sources of fresh water.

There is a distance/volume curve; on one side a pipeline is more cost effective, on the other side road/rail is more cost effective. Also, you need to consider the potential of obtaining planning consent for a long distance onshore CO2 pipeline.

BTW, On Thursday the shortlist of "Track 1" carbon capture projects is being announced.

 

[class 9]

The plants haven't made shortlist of 8 in the Track 1 awards.

 

[Intercity110]

These all just sound like ‘green-washing’ where companies make climate friendly plans and don’t act upon them. It just sounds completely ludicrous

 

[xotGD]

The plants haven't made shortlist of 8 in the Track 1 awards.

That's because it didn't apply for Track 1.

However, cluster expansion projects should follow, including non-pipeline transport. Further details from DESNZ should follow.

 

[Alanko]

These all just sound like ‘green-washing’ where companies make climate friendly plans and don’t act upon them. It just sounds completely ludicrous

Agreed. Carbon negative energy sounds like a bit of a pipe dream. Edinburgh University built a CCS centre at least ten years ago and we don't seem to have made any progress with this technology since then. It's a pseudo solution at best, loved by the fossil fuel industry as it means they can continue with business as usual. Especially when they set up this stuff in rust belt Teeside, so it looks like it ticks the 'levelling up' box.

 

[xotGD]

Agreed. Carbon negative energy sounds like a bit of a pipe dream. Edinburgh University built a CCS centre at least ten years ago and we don't seem to have made any progress with this technology since then. It's a pseudo solution at best, loved by the fossil fuel industry as it means they can continue with business as usual. Especially when they set up this stuff in rust belt Teeside, so it looks like it ticks the 'levelling up' box.

There isn't a technological barrier, there is an economic barrier. £20 billion from the government should help to address that.

And if you apply CCS to an Energy from Waste plant (for example) where half the CO2 comes from biogenic waste, you end up significantly carbon negative. Two of the eight Track 1 projects fall into this category. So no pipe dream.

 

[class 9]

That's because it didn't apply for Track 1.

However, cluster expansion projects should follow, including non-pipeline transport. Further details from DESNZ should follow.

I wasn't aware they hadn't, was just replying to the previous post.
I did notice it said it was an initial 8, hopefully more to come.