Advanced Power Generation Technology Forum

First Announcement of Forum on Carbon Abatement for Fossil Fuels

DTI Conference Centre, 1 Victoria Street, London, 25 November 2004

The UK Government has recognised that the scale of the issues presented by global warming needs a new initiative for the development of power generation technologies. It has also recognised that fossil fuels will continue to play a significant role in power generation, both in the UK and abroad, for many decades to come. However, it is clear that ways must be found for reducing their CO₂ emissions in an acceptable manner. Consequently many countries, including the UK, Germany, Australia, Canada and the USA, are addressing the issue and developing/ implementing technology strategies for fossil fuels that focus on carbon abatement as a key part of policies on global warming.

The UK Advanced Power Generation Technology Forum (APGTF) provides the focus for the Power Generation sector in the UK on the research and development activities on fossil fuel, including biomass and waste, and associated technologies including carbon sequestration. Currently, it is working with the UK Government to help define a national carbon abatement technology strategy. The APGTF members are also involved in developing a similar EU approach and are co-operating with the US through links with the US Department of Energy.

The APGTF is organising this workshop to:

• To present a UK perspective for RD&D for carbon abatement in power generation from fossil fuels (to include advanced technologies, CO₂ capture and CO₂ storage)
• To identify key national/international activities relevant to the UK’s proposed approach
• To discuss its implementation and to identify the costs and benefits to the UK
• To indicate the immediate priorities for a UK carbon abatement technology programme

The Workshop will consist of invited presentations covering strategy and perspectives for carbon abatement RD&D for power generation in the UK and EU, together with an overview of other international activities. This will be followed by a session in which all delegates will be invited to participate and will be led by members of the APGTF. It will discuss the priorities for a UK carbon abatement RD&D programme and indicate the benefits that could be expected. The output from the Workshop will be fed into the Government for consideration in the development and implementation of its carbon abatement technology strategy.

The Workshop should be of interest to: R and D workers in the field; strategy and technology managers; representatives of funding agencies; policy makers etc. Representatives would be expected from universities, the power industry, industrial users of energy, the offshore oil/gas industry, together technology providers and other parts of the supply chain.