EU Commission launches technology platform for CO2 free power plants

The European Commission has launched a new Technology Platform for Zero Emission Fossil Fuel Power Plants. This body will bring together energy companies, equipment suppliers, users, consumers, financial institutions, regulators, public authorities, researchers and civil society to develop common research goals, with the aim of a future where the use of power plants that emit no climate-damaging greenhouse gases is widespread. Through its common vision and strategic research agenda, the Technology Platform will identify and remove obstacles to the creation of such power plants, technological, financial and regulatory.

The objective of bringing together the sector in this way is to reduce drastically the environmental impact of fossil fuel use, particularly coal. Focus will be on CO2 Capture and Geological Storage, which consists in developing technologies that capture carbon dioxide emissions as they are produced by power stations and then stores them underground, so that they cannot interact with the atmosphere and produce the greenhouse effect. The EU research programme for 2002-2006 will invest about €70m in this field, helping European companies and researchers to lead the world in this area of research and development.

Source: Press release by the EU Commission.