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Clean up at Longannet
12/03/2010
ScottishPower's application to fit 'selective catalytic reduction' equipment to three of the four boilers at Longannet Power Station has been approved.
A strategy to manage and dispose of the ash that will be generated as a result has also been approved.
Energy Minister Jim Mather said:
"This project will significantly reduce the harmful sulphur dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions from Longannet: it will help the facility meet stringent European requirements for large power stations and extend the operational life of the station by an extra 10 years to 2030, further contributing to Scotland's energy security.
"In addition to these developments, we are taking action to make Scotland a world leader in carbon capture and storage (CCS). I welcome ScottishPower's commitment to making Longannet such a strong contender to win the UK CCS competition. I congratulate them on their success today in being awarded funding for an engineering study to progress to demonstration of commercial scale CCS technology."
Selective catalytic reduction is a post-combustion method of emissions abatement. It involves taking the exhaust gas from the boiler at a temperature of up to 400 degrees Celsius, injecting aqueous ammonia and passing it over a catalyst producing harmless atmospheric nitrogen and water vapour.
In April 2009, ScottishPower Generation Limited applied to Ministers for consent to retrofit selective catalytic reduction technology to three of the four existing boilers and an ash disposal strategy for the ash that would be generated as a result of extending the operational life of the station. No public representations were received on the application.
With an installed capacity of 2,400 Megawatts, Longannet is the second largest power station in the UK and can produce enough electricity to meet the needs of approximately two million people. Longannet employs around 250 staff and around 500 contract staff.
The Scottish Government has already determined 36 energy applications, including approval for 29 renewable and two non-renewable projects since May 2007 - more determinations than over the whole of the previous four years, in which 19 projects were determined.
The Scottish Government's Energy Consents and Deployment Unit is currently processing 38 applications (25 onshore wind, 12 hydro and one thermal), amounting to 3 Gigawatts.