TransAlta pulls plug on Pioneer Project
Posted Apr 26, 2012 1:48 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TransAlta has pulled the plug on a $1.4-billion joint carbon capture and storage project.
Released in it first quarter report, the company’s CEO announced “Project Pioneer” will not go ahead, citing the revenues from carbon sales would not be sustainable.
The technology works and capital costs are in line with expectations, but the returns on the project are too low to allow it to proceed.
‘Pioneer’ was a joint effort by TransAlta, Capital Power, Enbridge and the federal and provincial governments.
CCS involves using chilled ammonia to strip carbon dioxide out of emissions from TransAlta’s new Keephills 3 coal-fired generation station.
TransAlta estimated the technology would reduce one million tonnes of greenhouse gas a year and while the company says while this project won’t go ahead now, they believe the technology works and there is a future for ccs.
