Question

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what will be the effect on the carbon intensity of electricity generated measured in gCO2/kwh of the fitting of emissions abatement technology at West Burton, Cottam and Eggborough coal-fired power stations.

A recent report by independent energy consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff commissioned by this Department estimates that fitting emissions abatement technology needed to comply with the forthcoming industrial emissions Directive would result in a reduction in plant efficiency in the range 0.01 to 0.13 percentage points:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coal-and-gas-assumptions

The impact on the carbon intensity of electricity generated by a plant, measured in gCO2/kWh, as a result of fitting emissions abatement technology can be expected to be of a scale that reflects this estimated range of efficiency loss.

A ‘reference plant’ was used for the purposes of the report and exact changes to efficiency and emissions intensity may vary across the UK’s coal-fired power stations due to their differing designs.