Compostilla
Brief description:
Facts:
Main developer:
To develop flexible and commercially viable CCS technology at industrial scale for existing fossil thermal plants
from 2020.
Compostilla
The Compostilla CCS project was cancelled after the project had carried out the work that it had committed to under the terms of the grant from EEPR.
Endesa was awarded European Commission funding in December 2009 for the project, which involves construction of three pilot plants - testing capture, transport and storage technologies - that will inform construction of a demonstration capture plant.
In December 2011, CIUDEN announced it had successfully tested oxy-combustion in a 30 MW CFB boiler built at Cubillos de Sil, close to Endesa's Compostilla power plant. By October 2012, it had conducted the full CO2 capture process - which it hailed a world first for the oxy-combustion process. It is planned to upscale the technology to 323MW by the end of 2015.
CUIDEN has selected Air Liquide's CO2 cryogenic purification unit for Compostilla’s capture plant. In turn, the pilot will play a key role in the development of Air Liquide’s CPU technology alongside the pilots at Callide and Lacq.
Captured CO2 will be stored at a nearby saline aquifer in the Duero basin, and initial studies suggest about 5 million tonnes of CO2 could be stored during the first five years of operations. Construction of the CO2 injection facility in Hontomín began in February 2012, following a comprehensive geological characterisation of the site during the past six years. The storage facility will be fully operational in 2013. Sahagun, also in the Duero basin, is also being developed as a storage site.
CUIDEN has a 30% stake in the project, and Finland-based Foster Wheeler is providing the technology. Small-scale pilot tests, for fuels and limestone preliminary characterisation, have already been carried out in CANMET Energy Technology Centre, in Canada.
The project also includes work programmes dealing with public perception and knowledge sharing - including participation in the recently-formed European CCS Project Network.
Financing
A final investment decision is expected sometime during 2013. The EU provided funding of around €180 million from its European Economic Recovery Plan.
Timing
Phase 1 is complete, and the second phase will include construction and operation of a 300MW power plant - including transport and injection infrastructure - and the permitting process.
The initial EIA for the CO2 pipeline was submitted to the Ministry of Industry in June 2011. However, there is no legislation in place yet that deals with a pipeline permitting process, and the administration bodies in charge of the procedure are not yet defined.
Other Sources and Press Release:
CUIDEN full CO2 capture process success, October 2012
CUIDEN test success, 5 December 2011
Cuiden selects Air Liquide CPU, December 2011
EU first interim report, February 2011
Compostilla project update (21 December 2010)
Endesa press release (9 December 2009)
Project report (PDF)
Storage:
The project is currently developing both pilot storage and an industrial-scale location. R&D at the pilot storage site, Hontomin, is being undertaken by CIUDEN, while activities for the industrial site are led by ENDESA. Baseline site characterisation is well under way, and at Hontomin the storage permit has been secured.
For the large-scale project, two storage options have been identified - Duero and Andorra. The main risks of these sites have been assessed, and the results presented to regional government. However, regional and national opinions on the storage sites are not yet balanced.
All permits granted under the Spanish Mining Law are being adapted to the new Law on CO2 storage, as per the EU's requirement to transpose its CCS Directive.
Contact info
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