Harper Government Celebrates World First in Commercial Carbon Capture and Storage

ESTEVAN, SK, Oct. 2, 2014 /CNW/ - The Honourable Greg Rickford, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario, today celebrated the opening of the carbon capture and storage (CCS) project at the Boundary Dam in Estevan, Saskatchewan, the world's first post-combustion carbon capture project in a coal-fired power plant.

The Government of Canada has invested $240 million from Budget 2008 toward SaskPower's $1.4 billion project to integrate CCS at its existing Boundary Dam coal-fired power plant. Since 2008, the Government has also invested over $580 million in the research, development and demonstration of CCS technologies through Natural Resources Canada's ecoEnergy Technology Initiative (ecoETI), the Clean Energy Fund (CEF), ecoENERGY Innovation Initiative (ecoEII) and the Program for Energy Research and Development (PERD).

The Boundary Dam Integrated Carbon Capture and Storage Demonstration project has transformed Unit 3 at the Boundary Dam power station into a reliable, long-term producer of clean electricity by including CCS technology in its operation. The project will collect carbon dioxide emissions from a coal-fired power plant and seal them deep underground, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by capturing up to one million tonnes of CO₂ per year.

Quick Facts

• Canada's electricity generation is among the cleanest in the world, comprising 79 percent non-emitting sources (61.2 percent hydro, 3.3 percent non-hydro renewables, 14.5 percent nuclear).
• In 2012, greenhouse gas emissions were 5.1 percent lower than 2005 levels, while the economy grew by 10.6 percent in the same period. Per-capita emissions have fallen to their lowest level since tracking began.
• The Boundary Dam project is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by capturing up to one million tonnes of CO₂ per year.
• Coal regulations introduced by the Government of Canada are expected to result in a cumulative reduction in GHG emissions of about 214 megatonnes (Mt) — the equivalent of removing 2.6 million cars from the road per year.
• Canada is recognized by the International Energy Agency (IEA) as a global leader in the research, development and demonstration of CCS technologies, with over $580 million invested since 2008.

Quotes

"Today's announcement — a world first — demonstrates Canada's leadership in developing clean energy technology. Saskatchewan's Boundary Dam project is a prime example of how Canadian expertise is helping reduce emissions, while growing the economy."

Greg Rickford
Canada's Minister of Natural Resources

Follow us on Twitter: @NRCan (http://twitter.com/nrcan)

NRCan's news releases and backgrounders are available at www.nrcan.gc.ca/media

SOURCE: Natural Resources Canada

Alexandra Lemieux?, Press Secretary?, Office of Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, 613-996-2007; Media Relations, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, 613-992-4447; The general public may contact: Mon.-Fri., 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. EDT, Telephone: [phone], TTY: 613-996-4397, (teletype for the hearing-impaired), E-mail: [email protected]