By Paul Homewood
One more reason why the Net Zero Act must be cancelled.
The UK’s energy security is far too important to be put at the whim of a judge and an eco-nutjob, who is no doubt funded by far left eco groups. (It is an extremely expensive process going to judicial review, if anybody is in any doubt).
The decision to build a new power station faces a legal challenge over its potential greenhouse gas emissions.
Environmental consultant Dr Andrew Boswell has applied for a judicial review against the government’s decision to approve a "net zero" gas power station in Teesside.
He said his calculations revealed the plant, which would use carbon capture technology, would produce far more greenhouse gas emissions than initially estimated.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said it would be "robustly defending" the legal challenge, while the developers said they did not comment on legal proceedings.
The secretary of state for the DESNZ granted a development consent order (DCO), which is required for nationally significant infrastructure projects, to the plant in February.
Developers Net Zero Teesside Power (NZT Power), a joint operation between BP and energy firm Equinor, claimed that at least 90% of the plant’s generated emissions would be captured and funnelled into a storage site beneath the North Sea.
But Dr Boswell said his calculations revealed that the developers failed to consider emissions linked to the supply and and transport of gas, such as the release of methane.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd1ddz14q1no
There is no secret at all about these upstream emissions. And it is also highly unlikely that the plant will achieve anywhere near 90% capture.
What we also know is that CCS plants are extremely energy inefficient, ie they need much more gas to produce 1 unit of electricity than a plant without CCS. Hence these upstream emissions will be much greater too.
It would therefore make much more sense all round to just build a proper CCGT plant with no carbon capture.