Power plants 'to benefit from government support'

Government grants are to be awarded to two coal-fired power plants in order to help them develop carbon capture technology, it has been reported.

According to the Financial Times, the support "could be worth tens of millions of pounds".

The publication noted that government officials believe the UK "could become the world leader in the fledgling technology, which many energy experts say must be pressed into widespread use if the threat of climate change is to be avoided".

Carbon capture techniques and storage technology is vital if the country is to continue burning coal in order to generate electricity, it added.

In related news, Steelorbis.com reported recently that power provider E.ON has lodged an environmental scoping report detailing its plans for a carbon dioxide pipeline at its proposed Kingsnorth site.

The pipeline will cross the Hoo Peninsula in the south-east of the country, before transferring emissions to the North Sea gas fields.

Written by Lauren Steadman