A major project that aims to create the world’s first gas-fired power station with carbon capture and storage technology has received the green light.
Balfour Beatty and partners – Technip Energies and GE Vernova, supported by technology partner, Shell Catalysts & Technologies – were given notice to proceed by NTZ Power Limited.
It means they can begin work on the engineering procurement, and construction package for the onshore power, capture, and compression contract at Net Zero Teesside.
The notice to proceed follows NZT Power reaching financial close and the UK government’s recent announcement of a £21.7bn pledge for projects to capture and store carbon emissions from energy, industry, and hydrogen production.
Net Zero Teesside aims to be the world’s first gas-fired power station with carbon capture and storage. Up to 2m tonnes of CO2 per year will be captured at the plant and transported and permanently stored by the Northern Endurance Partnership.
The plant could produce up to 742 megawatts of flexible, dispatchable low-carbon power, equivalent to the average annual electricity requirements of more than 1m UK homes, further supporting the UK’s transition to a cleaner energy future.
Leo Quinn, Balfour Beatty Group’s chief executive, said: “Net Zero Teesside is a transformational project, underpinning the UK’s transition to cleaner and greener energy consumption and driving regional economic growth in North East England.
“[The] announcement takes us one step closer to realising this ambitious scheme, which will demonstrate collaboration at its finest and see us unite our unique strengths together with Technip Energies’ world-leading engineering and technology integration skills, Shell Cansolv’s state-of-the-art carbon capture technology and GE Vernova’s unparalleled power generation knowledge.”
Alongside its consortium partners, Balfour Beatty will construct a highly efficient combined-cycle plant, integrated with a state-of-the-art carbon capture plant using Technip Energies’ Canopy by T.ENTM solution powered by the Shell Cansolv CO2 capture technology. The plant will be powered by GE Vernova’s advanced 9HA.02 gas turbine.
Arnaud Pieton, chief executive of Technip Energies, said: “We are excited to partner with GE Vernova and Balfour Beatty on the first-of-its kind Net Zero Teesside Power project. This award confirms Technip Energies’ leading position as a provider of state-of-the-art integrated CCUS solutions. I would like to thank Net Zero Teesside Power for their trust.
“This groundbreaking project represents a significant milestone in our collective efforts to advance carbon capture technology at scale and support the UK’s ambitious climate goals through low carbon power generation from gas combined with renewables. By leveraging our Canopy by T.EN solution powered by Shell’s Cansolv CO2 Capture System, we aim to set a new standard for low-carbon power generation. This project not only underscores our commitment to innovation and sustainability but also highlights the critical role of collaboration in driving the energy transition forward.”
Maví Zingoni, chief executive of power at GE Vernova, added: “We believe CCUS technology can be crucial to help decarbonise the planet, and we welcome the commitment from the UK government to invest in its implementation as well as NZT Power’s trust in our technology.
“Flagship projects like Net Zero Teesside Power can give the industry foundations to grow. We look forward to powering the station with our advanced H-Class combined cycle technology, as well as proceeding with the first commercial use of our Exhaust Gas Recirculation system and integration technologies, which aim to support carbon abatement by boosting the efficiency and performance of carbon capture.”
Elise H Nowee, president of Shell Catalysts & Technologies, said: “Being selected as the carbon capture technology provider for Net Zero Teesside Power reflects the proven capabilities of Shell’s Cansolv CO2 technology in delivering substantial, reliable emissions reductions at scale. This landmark project not only demonstrates our commitment to advancing low-carbon power solutions but also sets a key benchmark for flexible power generation, with the potential to capture up to 2m tonnes of CO2 annually – a significant step toward achieving the UK’s net-zero ambitions.”
The Net Zero Teesside Power project is projected to create and support more than 3,000 construction jobs in the country and then require around 1,000 jobs annually during operations until 2050.
Main image: The world’s first commercial scale gas-fired power and carbon capture projects in Teesside. Courtesy of NZT Power
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