Energy provider SSE has officially opened its carbon capture and storage plant at Ferrybridge in West Yorkshire. The project, which is a collaboration with Doosan Power Systems and Vattenfall, is the first of its size to be integrated into a live power plant in the UK and captures 100 tonnes of carbon dioxide per day from the five MW of coal-fired power generating capacity.

Secretary of State Chris Huhne said: “This is the first operating carbon capture plant attached to a power station at this scale in the UK and has benefited from more than £6 million in public money. This investment will be invaluable to the wider commercial scale deployment of CCS by reducing uncertainty, driving down costs and developing the UK supply chain and skills.”

The plant captures carbon dioxide from burnt coal. SSE are looking into developing a CCS project at their Peterhead gas-fired power station.

SSE Chief Executive, Ian Marchant said: “We believe projects such as this will be absolutely crucial in establishing when and how the technology can be developed. What we have here today at Ferrybridge will provide an invaluable source of reference and learning for the industry as a whole.”