Gas giant backs £3bn Yorkshire energy project

GASES and engineering giant BOC has taken a 15% stake in the £3bn project to build a revolutionary power station in Yorkshire.

The deal will see BOC and parent company Linde supply key carbon capture technology for the Don Valley Power Project being developed by 2Co Energy.

2Co is looking to build a coal-fired power station in Stainforth where the carbon emissions will be captured and piped to the North Sea where they will be used to extract oil before being stored under the sea bed.

Lewis Gillies, chief executive of 2Co Energy, said: “BOC and The Linde Group are leading players in gases and clean energy technologies and will bring world-class engineering and operations expertise to the project. 

“The Humber Gateway is the best location in the world to kick-start a global carbon capture industry and BOC’s involvement further underpins the financial and technical integrity of the UK’s leading CCS project following Samsung’s landmark investment earlier this year.”

Samsung took a 15% stake in March and the agreement with BOC represents a further significant milestone in the delivery of the Don Valley Power Project.

BOC managing director Mike Huggon said: “Moving quickly to full commercial-scale carbon capture will be vital for the UK – not only in meeting our own carbon reduction targets, but also for demonstrating the UK’s global leadership in developing and using these critical technologies. 

“BOC is delighted to take a significant stake in the Don Valley Power Project at such an important time for carbon capture in the UK.”

The new power station will generate enough electricity to power 1m homes and is expected to come on stream in 2016.