11 June 2008 | Luca Del Buono

 

Electricity produced from the next generation of clean coal power stations could be twice as expensive as other coal-fired stations, BBC File On 4 has been told.

The government's hopes for early success in defeating global warming by cleaning up coal fired power stations have been challenged by a leading power generator.

An executive at RWE Npower, expected to be a major player in "carbon capture" technology, has spoken of fears about both the cost and the timescale.

The company hopes to build a big new coal-fired power station fitted with carbon capture and storage at Tilbury on the Thames Estuary.

Mr Chris Elston said coal stations fitted with this scrubbing technology "could easily double the cost of electricity compared with non carbon-abated plant".

The Government has held out the prospect of carbon capture and storage (CCS) being fitted widely to dispose of CO2 emissions in the years after 2014.

But Mr Elston, Director of Projects at the company, said it could take 20 years before CCS can be deployed across Britain's fleet of coal-fired stations.

"We must recognise that it is quite a long path to having a full power station totally abated as far as carbon capture and storage is concerned.

"If the technology works it will be a step forward," said Mr Elston.

"If we want to burn coal and want to remove C02 we have no choice," he added.

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