E.ON starts construction of Maasvlakte power station
Rotterdam, 15 April 2008 – Today, E.ON starts constructing the new coal-fired/biomass power station on the Maasvlakte. On 11 April, E.ON received the licences based on the Dutch Nature Conservation Act. The construction permits were received on Friday 4 April. Now that all necessary licenses have been granted, and other possible blockades have been removed by legal statements, E.ON can start on the construction of the power station. Joost van Dijk, chairman of the executive board of E.ON Benelux: “This state-of-the-art power station, with CO2-trapping as soon as this is possible, meets the important requirement of securing electricity supply in the Netherlands in the long run at an affordable level. Its environmental performance is leading in the world and fits in with the plans of the Rotterdam/Rijnmond area to continually improve the air quality.”
The 1.100 MW gross capacity power station is scheduled to go on line in 2012. Its capacity will meet roughly eight percent of the Dutch electricity requirements.
CO2 question
E.ON’s planned power station belongs to a new generation; in significant areas this represents a technological improvement on current power stations. The new unit operates at high temperatures and pressures enabling it to produce almost 20% more electricity per ton of coal than the current power stations. This also means almost 20% lower CO2 and other emissions per kilowatt hour compared to existing coal-fired power stations. The unit will also be prepared for trapping of CO2.
Joost van Dijk: “E.ON is very aware that CO2 emissions contribute to climate change; our market position implies that we seek a leading role in reducing CO2 emissions. E.ON has the ambitious goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 50% in 2030. This is a massive challenge and E.ON is going for it full throttle with international campaigns for energy saving by end users, enhanced efficiency at coal-fired power stations, development of the newest generation of nuclear power stations, investment worth € 6 billion in renewable energy - like wind, water and biomass - plus the development of large scale CO2 trapping and storage.”
E.ON is convinced that in order to realise a reliable, affordable and sustainable energy supply investments must be made in renewable energy technologies such as wind, water, biomass and solar energy, and, until late into this century, in the use of fossil fuels like coals.
CCS
On 3 April, the TNO-CATO test installation for trapping CO2 from flue gasses went on line at E.ON’s site on the Maasvlakte. Van Dijk: “As host for the CATO installation we are showing in concrete terms that we seek a leading role in developing CCS. By collaborating on the Rotterdam Climate Initiative we can take major steps here. The CATO project is unique in Europe and will bring CCS much closer – but much more research is needed. E.ON is keen to be part of the advances from here on – with its know-how, financial support for research and facilities for one of the bigger 30-60 MW pilots. To this end we recently offered to take on the role of primary partner in continuation of the national CATO-programme.”