Söderenergi AB, Sweden's fourth-largest district heating producer has announced that the Swedish Energy Agency has granted SEK 12.5 million (≈ EUR 1.1 million) toward the third phase of the company's bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) project at its Igelsta combined heat and power (CHP) plant in Södertälje.
Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS or bioCCS) is seen as an important measure to reach Sweden’s and the EU’s climate goals. The technology under development means that carbon dioxide (CO2) is captured and stored – carbon capture and storage or CCS.
To support the growth of BECCS, Government funds have been set aside and granted via the Swedish Energy Agency’s Industry Leap (Industriklivet) program.
Söderenergi has received SEK 12.5 million (≈ EUR 1.1 million) in funding from the Agency’s support program to continue its work of starting to produce negative emissions at its biomass-fired Igelsta combined heat and power (CHP) plant via BECCS.
With that, the third project phase which will run until August 2024 has started to investigate the impact the technology to separate CO2 has on the existing production process and surrounding environment.
Separating and storing 500,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year is of great importance for the climate, but before we implement the plan, we must be sure of what it means for the local environment and the production process at the Igelsta CHP plant, said Leif Bodinson, BioCCS Project Owner at Söderenergi.
Leif Bodinson added that it is also of the utmost importance to get the financial conditions in place as the deployment of BECCS should not make district heating more expensive.
Söderenergi is Sweden’s fourth largest district heating producer and removing its biogenic CO2 emissions at Igelsta would be a major contribution to Sweden’s climate goals.
We know we can make a difference, that’s why we invest in new technology. The conditions for being able to produce negative emissions at the facility via BECCS are among the best in Sweden. Igelsta also has its own port with direct access to the Baltic Sea. This makes Söderenergi a strong actor, that together with industry colleagues, can take the lead in the development of negative emissions and show that it is possible to realize a full-scale BECCS chain in Sweden before the year 2030, ended Leif Bodinson.
