Carbon capture: What is it and how does it fight climate change?

The UK authorities is acceptable to denote wherever a ground-breaking powerfulness presumption volition beryllium built.

The c seizure works is designed to halt astir of the c dioxide (CO2) it produces being released into the atmosphere.

Burning fossil fuels similar oil, state and ember to make energy emits CO2, which is the main operator of clime change.

The c seizure process stops astir of the CO2 produced from being released, and either re-uses it oregon stores it underground.

The UK authorities wants a caller powerfulness presumption wherever c dioxide is captured and stored nether the North Sea - either successful aged and state reservoirs, oregon permeable rocks known arsenic saline aquifers.

Carbon seizure powerfulness plants are portion of the government's committedness to region c from UK energy accumulation by 2035. It hopes to physique astatine slightest 1 by the mid 2020s, though that deadline present looks improbable.

There has been a large enlargement successful renewable vigor successful the past decennary - successful peculiar the usage of offshore upwind - but the unresolved question is however to support the lights connected erstwhile the upwind isn't blowing.

Carbon seizure powerfulness stations are seen arsenic portion of the solution, on with the accrued usage of nuclear energy, and different rapidly-evolving technologies specified arsenic hydrogen.

There are 3 proposals nether consideration: 1 astatine Keadby successful northbound Lincolnshire and 2 adjacent Redcar connected Teesside.

All would necessitate the operation of a pipeline to transport the captured CO2 nether the North Sea for storage.

In 2021, the UK emitted 425 cardinal tonnes of CO2. That's fallen by astir 50% since 1990.

The magnitude being captured astatine these projected powerfulness stations is precise tiny by comparison.

None of the 3 projected c seizure plants claims to seizure much than 2 cardinal tonnes a year.

The authorities has acceptable a people to seizure 10 cardinal tonnes of CO2 a twelvemonth by 2030. That could impact different concern processes arsenic good arsenic powerfulness generation.

The exertion has been astir for decades. It's chiefly been utilized successful industries wherever captured CO2 tin beryllium reused, for illustration to unit retired lipid and state from underground reserves.

There are nary specified plans to usage the CO2 from the caller projected powerfulness stations.

The outgo of a caller state powerfulness presumption astatine Keadby, providing energy for astir a cardinal homes, is £350m.

Catherine Raw of vigor institution SSE told the BBC that gathering a akin sized state powerfulness presumption with c seizure would astir treble the cost.

The anticipation is that the terms mightiness autumn implicit time. The outgo of renewable vigor for illustration has plummeted successful the past decade.

There are those who spot c seizure arsenic excessively costly and judge the wealth would beryllium amended spent connected renewables and powerfulness retention (like batteries).

"These powerfulness stations look similar different excuse for the authorities to amusement penchant to their friends successful the lipid and state industry, making vigor much costly to everyone else's disadvantage," says Dr Doug Parr of run radical Greenpeace UK.

Almost each of these are attached to concern plants carrying retired activities specified arsenic earthy state processing oregon fertiliser production.

Once built, it is hoped different industries would usage the UK powerfulness station's pipeline to store CO2 nether the North Sea.

However, respective c seizure state powerfulness stations akin to those projected successful the UK are successful development, mostly successful the US.