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CARBON SEQUESTRATION DEBATED - 8th December 2003

Cambrensis’ Renewables and Hydrogen Contact Group considered the current status and future prospects for CO2 sequestrations in the UK and elsewhere at it meeting in London on 28th November.

Dr Jeff Chapman, Trade Partner’s UK’s export promoter for worldwide energy gave a very lively presentation on the prospects for this technology and its uses and potential around the world. He also covered the US-led Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum and its most recent meetings in America.

With kind permission of the authors, the meeting also considered presentations given at the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum in the USA in June 2003 by –

• RK Pachauri, Chairman Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

• Odd Sverre Haraldsen, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, Norway

• Angel Perez-Sainz, Head of Unit, Energy Production and Distribution, DG Research, European Commission

William Wilson, Director of Cambrensis and environmental lawyer gave an ‘Introduction to the Legal Issues in Geological Carbon Sequestration’. He concluded that –

• Legal controls have not been designed with current technology in mind. Environmental protection is patchy and inconsistent, and does not take account of the wider picture, e.g. where CO2 will be discharged if it is not sequestered;

• It does not much matter to the environment whether the CO2 is discharged from a vessel, pipeline, offshore installation or other man-made structure – what matters is whether the CO2 once discharged stays put, and if not what environmental effects it might have, good or bad;

• The UK’s approach at present is cautious and timid, and it applies the precautionary principle to CO2 sequestration without giving equal weight to what is happening to the CO2 now;

• The contrast with Norway is very striking, with the Norwegian government already pumping 1 million tonnes per year of CO2 into the Utsira formation in the North Sea in the Sleipner field, and planning a further 0.7 million tonnes per year in the Snohvit development;

• The UK by contrast has published a report, convened a stakeholder meeting, held some seminars…

• Timing issues, with the North Sea structures approaching the end of their useful life, are critical;

• Scientific research to achieve a better assessment of the real risk and expected environmental outcomes is urgent and highly important;

• Negotiations to make any necessary amendments to be able to introduce CO2 sequestration if and when that proves to be scientifically justifiable are urgent, and should be under way now.

NEXT MEETING
of Cambrensis’ Renewables and Hydrogen Contact Group:

Friday 30th January 2004 2 p.m.- 4 p.m.
Middle Temple Hall, Middle Temple Lane, London EC4
‘Renewables Targets’

Richard Brook, Business Development Manager, NaREC will be speaking on technological aspects of renewables and the prospects of meeting the UK government’s renewables targets.

Melville Haggard, Executive Director, Impax Capital Corporation will be speaking on the economic aspects of different renewable technologies, and their likely impact on achieving the targets.

For enquiries about membership of Cambrensis’ Renewables and Hydrogen Contact Group, or to request copies of presentations given at its meetings, please contact us

 

 

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