Essent builds power station using high-grade technology; maximum output with minimum of emissions

Energy company Essent is investing approximately 1 billion euros in the construction of a new 800-1100 megawatt coal-fuelled power station in Geertruidenberg or Borssele. The power station will be built using the latest technology and is designed to include up to approximately 30% clean biomass as fuel. Notification of the start was submitted on Monday. Building is scheduled to begin in autumn 2008 and the power station will be in operation by mid 2013.

This expansion of capacity is necessary because the demand for electricity in The Netherlands is increasing annually by between 1% and 3%. Around 2020 consumption will be as much as 20% to 30% higher than now. By that time many of The Netherlands' power stations will be obsolete. Expansion is essential if we are to continue to guarantee assured delivery. The technology applied leads to a particularly high conversion output from coal to electricity of 46%. This is an improvement in output of 15% compared with existing coal-fuelled power stations. NOx, SO2 and dust will be removed from the flue gases by the most modern techniques. CO2 emissions per kWh can be kept to a minimum. Including biomass in the fuel will lower CO2 emissions even further. Essent will conduct yet another study into the technology that can be used to capture CO2, so it may be possible to start preparing the plant for this. Essent has chosen a coal power station because coal is available in large quantities and is mined in relatively stable regions. This means that the price of coal is stable and virtually independent of the price of oil. Essent is therefore contributing to assured delivery and is keeping the production costs of electricity within bounds. Essent will decide where the power station is to be built in mid 2007. Arnhem, 7 February 2007 Contact Please contact the following with enquiries: Maarten Thijs, Essent spokesman, telephone 06 52 57 27 91

Published: 07 February 2007