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Energy and Climate Change Minister Grants Consent for Powerfuel plc to Build 900MW Low Carbon Power Station in Yorkshire
Mike O'Brien, the Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change, today granted consent under Section 36
of the Electricity Act 1989 to Powerfuel plc ("Powerfuel") to build a 900 megawatt (MW) Integrated Coal Gasification Gas Fired
Power Station on the site of Hatfield Colliery near Doncaster, Yorkshire.
Powerfuel plans to construct the world's first large scale integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC),
near zero emissions power station with carbon capture capability in two phases. Phase I involves the construction of the 800
magawatt (MW) CCGT facility that has been designed and optimised for 'syngas' conversion and operation. Powerfuel plans to
convert the CCGT plant into a 900 MW IGCC near zero emissions power station fuelled by Powerfuel's extensive coal resources
at its Hatfield colliery in Phase II of the project.
During Phase I, the CCGT power station will be powered and supplied by way of a natural gas pipeline connection
to the National Transmission System (NTS) 11KM from the Hatfield site.
Richard Budge, CEO of Powerfuel plc commented:
"This consent allows Powerfuel to implement our plans for the large-scale production of low carbon electricity
in the North of England from a secure source based here in the UK."
"I am confident we will successfully convert the CCGT power station into an even more environmentally
friendly IGCC station which will be constructed by 2014."
Construction work of the CCGT power station, which will use established and proven gas turbines supplied
by General Electric, is expected to begin in June 2009 and complete at the beginning of 2012, at which time the already agreed
grid connection for the export of electricity, will be available. Jacobs Engineering Group has been contracted to provide
the front end engineering and design (FEED) for the project. A significant majority of the construction costs for Phase I
will be under fixed price agreements with a highly experienced Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) provider.
The gasification technology which will be utilised in Phase II of the project is licensed from Shell and
will capture approximately 90% of potential carbon emmissions from coal which can then be removed for sequestration.
The resulting synthetic gas or syngas (which is basically pure hydrogen), when burned in the gas turbines, will primarily
emit water vapour. When fully operational, the plant will save around 5 million tonnes of carbon from being emitted.
Mike O'Brien - Minister for Energy and Climate Change commented:
"It is essential to replace older polluting power stations that are reaching the end of their lives
with new stations that operate more efficiently. I welcome this investment from Powerfuel which will see enough energy generated
for about one million homes."
Press release dated 05 February 2009
MINING APPRENTICES
Doncaster College has a new cohort of mining apprentices for the first time in three years.
More than 40 mining apprentices have started at the college, 20 them from Hatfield Colliery, to become electrical
and mechanical engineers of the future.
Michael Neil, the College course leader for Mining Engineering said: "The College has a long and successful
history of working closely with the mining industry and industry and these relationships have led to 43 mining apprentices
starting training this autumn."
After the initial one-year off the job training, the apprentices will return to their various Collieries
to continue a further year of day release to complete their BTEC National Certificate. This will then be followed by a further
two years of working towards an NVQ Level 3 Mechanical/Electrical Maintenance Qualification.
Michael added: "With the modern facilities in The Hub, it has allowed links to be forged with the employers
and the Midlands Mining Institute of Mining Engineers and apprentices have been inducted into the Institute."
Hatfield Colliery apprentice Layton Hallam said: "It's great to have this opportunity and I am looking forward
to starting underground."
Rob Lucas, Training and Development Manager at Powerfuel Mining said: "Mining today has changed significantly
from past generations with the modern miners integrating technology in every aspect of their work. With the recent investment
at Hatfield Colliery in new technologies and equipment to secure the long term future, Powerfuel must invest in young people
to take the company forward. More than 80 young people have been employed in the last 18 months alone, and Powerfuel will
continue to offer a wide range of exciting employment opportunities and career paths for suitable persons."
Press release issued by Doncaster College 11 November 2008
GE Technology Maximises Fuel Options for Proposed Cleaner Coal Plant
New Power Plant Supports UK Efforts to Fight Climate Change
Press Release issued by GE Energy July 2008
Belfort, France - Powerfuel Power Ltd a UK independant power producer has selected GE Energy technology
to power their planned 900MW integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plant at Hatfield, South Yorkshire. Under
a letter of intent signed by the two companies, GE Energy will be supplying gas and steam turnbines that provide critical
fuel flexibility to support cleaner coal power plants. The fuel flexibility gives utility and IPP companies a wider range
of fuel options to meet rising energy demands during a time of increasing concern about fuel supply, energy independence,
and carbon emissions.
The plant is scheduled to start operation at the end of 2011 and will be converted to syngas operation in
2013, thus allowing for a phased installation of the Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plant and the Gasification Island.
the fuel flexibility of GE's CCGT technology enables the conversion to syngas and the phased-in approach, thus broadening
the customer's options for power generation.
"With the selection of GE combined cycle gas turbine technology, we will have the fuel flexibility to respond
to policy changes and decisions to have this plant available for carbon capture and storage as early as 2013, and support
an early implementation of clean coal generation in UK," said Powerfuels CEO Richard Budge. "Our objective has always been
to build a 'near zero emission power plant' next to the Hatfield Colliery and GE technology is the best choice to enable
that."
"We welcome the selection of our highly flexible gas turbine technology and are looking forward to supporting
Powerfuel's milestone as they become the first power company to use cleaner coal technology commercially to generate electricity
in Europe," said GE Energy's European Region President Ricardo Cordoba. "GE's technology is well-positioned to support this
cutting-edge project which will help to provide a path forward for cleaner coal technology, and wider commercial use."
In Europe, GE has its own European Cleaner Coal "centre of excellence" in Warsaw, Poland - underscoring
its commitment to IGCC and carbon capture & storage (CCS) technology.
"GE continues to expand its turbine technology for a variety of fuels. Our role is to deliver a diverse
portfolio of innovative technologies, work with governments on eneergy related policy, and educate people about today's energy
realities so they can make informed decisiions," said Ricardo Cordoba.
NEW POWERED ROOF SUPPORTS
New roof supports for the second set of face equipment are prepared ready for transferring underground for
installation
HATFIELD RESUMES PRODUCTION
LONGWALL coal face production has resumed at
Yorkshire’s Hatfield colliery after a £100 million investment that has created jobs for over 300 mineworkers and a guaranteed
coal supply for electricity generators.
Powerfuel Mining Limited has brought the Doncaster colliery back to
life by accessing 27 million tonnes of high quality reserves in the
Barnsley seam.
Production is now underway on the first of a planned 25 faces, each
typically a kilometre long and equipped with high technology
machinery purchased substantially from British manufacturers.
Each coal face will contain in excess of a million tonnes,
with weekly
output of around 45,000 tonnes, producing annually over two million
tonnes.
In August last year, Powerfuel agreed a £37m package for the
purchase of state-of-the art coal face equipment designed to make
Hatfield one of the most productive mines in Britain. Contract
arrangements were agreed with Joy Mining Machinery UK Ltd., for two
sets of coal cutting, supports and ancillary equipment for
longwall production to resume
at Hatfield. The first set of
equipment, designed, built and tested at Joy production
centres in Worcester, Wigan and Nottingham, has now been
installed at Hatfield.
New tunnelling machines were also purchased to drive major arterial roadways into the reserves and to access
tunnels to the faces.
The total investment cost access the potential 100 million tones of reserves to be recovered in the future is £110 mi.
Additionally there is a new office block which incorporates modern locker and shower facilities for the workforce.
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| Hatfield Offices - September 2008 |
HATFIELD POWER STATION PROJECT
17 April 2007
Powerfuel and Shell sign agreement for Coal Gasification
Powerfuel announced that it has signed a licence agreement with Shell Gas & Power International BV [Shell],
which entitles it to use Shell's proprietary gasification technology in its proposed 900MW IGCC coal fired power station at
Hatfield, South Yorkshire. The purpose of this approach is to enable carbon capture and storage to take place at the
lowest cost using current technology.
Richard Budge, Chief Executive of Powerfuel plc, said "We are delighted to be working with Shell in our
vision to be the first commercial-scale coal fired power generator with carbon capture in the world. Success in this
project would be enormously significant for UK and EU energy policy as it offers the benefits of a local, inexpensive fuel,
improved security of electricity supply and very low carbon emissions. This agreement maintains our leading position
in the development of carbon capture from coal fired electricity generation in the UK."
Peter de Wit, Shell Gas & Power Executive Vice President, Global Businesses, said: "Shell is at the
forefront of developments in clean coal and our leading-edge technology is clean,efficient and reliable. Today's agreement
with Powerfuel is the second we have signed in Europe in less than a year and is the first in this region for a project incorporating
carbon capture and storage from the outset. The deal signals a further expansion of our clean coal business outside
of China, where we have sold 15 gasification licences over the past five years."
Powerfuel plc has already received section 36 government consent for a part of this project. Engineering
work will now proceed to the conclusion of a full FEED (front end engineering design) package, following which construction
is expected to take 3 - 4 years. Discussions are continuing with third parties with a view to the construction of a
pipeline to transport CO2 from Humberside, an area with very large carbon dioxide emitters, to secure storage sites in the
North Sea. Mr Budge further commented "We await the design and publication of the government's competition to support
one or more CCS projects because we believe that our project represents the lowest cost appraoch to the
important challenges that face the electricity industry in this country and overseas.
Coal gasification is the cleanest method for converting coal's energy potential into electricity.
The process takes coal and turns it into a hydrogen-rich synthesis gas which in this case will facilitate the separation of
the carbon dioxide pre-combustion in the turbin generators. It is this factor which offers a lower cost approach to
carbon capture. The hydrogen rich stream could also potentially be used in clean transportation and in substitution of natural
gas, as well as electricity production on site.
21 August 2006
Hatfield Colliery in £37m Joy Equipment Deal
It has been announced today (Monday 21 August 2006) that Powerfuel Chief Executive Richard Budge
has agreed contract arrangements with Joy Mining Machinery for two sets of coal cutting, supports and ancillary equipment
for longwall faces at its Hatfield Colliery, near Doncaster, in a deal worth a total of £37m.
To be manufactured at Joy's plants located near Nottingham, Worcester and Wigan safeguarding hundreds
of jobs, the equipment is the latest technology and consists of a 7LS coal-cutting shearer, 700 tonne capacity hydraulic
roof supports, armoured face conveyor, stage loader and ancillary equipment. The first set will undergo compatability trials
in August next year before being delivered to Hatfield. the second set will be delivered in 2008. When fully operational in
the rich three-metre thick Barnsley Seam, Hatfield is set to produce around two million tonnes of coal a year, mainly for
power stations in Yorkshire and the Midlands.
Says Mr. Budge: "This is the biggest single order for mining equipment for many years and underlines
our confidence in coal and the role it will play in meeting Britain's energy needs for decades to come. This is a further
major milestone in the re-birth of Hatfield; the equipment is proven technology, manufactured in the UK by a company with
the highest reputation on the world stage for quality and performance.
David Johnson of Joy Mining Machinery (pictured on the right in the photo with Richard Budge at
Hatfield) added: "It is a very significant event not just for Powerfuel and Joy, but for the UK, and indeed the European coal
industry. We are confident in the success of this project and hope it can be a pointer for the future.
Hatfield is bringing Mining to a new generation
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