The Observer,
Sunday July 27 2008
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology can in theory reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power stations by up to 90 per cent. The gases are 'captured' and then stored underground rather than released into the atmosphere.
Oil companies have been using a similar technique for years, pumping carbon dioxide into depleted oilfields to push out the remaining oil. But the technology for long-term storage of carbon dioxide is unproven.
Even if the new methods work, it is not clear how much they will cost to bring in, although some developers in the UK argue that the technology only needs the same level of subsidies received by onshore wind farms.
As gas prices soar, many countries, especially China, are increasingly turning to coal to generate electricity. Yet coal plants result in approximately twice as many emissions as gas.
The government has promised to allocate funds to help develop a CCS demonstration project by 2014. But environmentalists are pressing ministers to move faster and to invest in a number of schemes.