11 Mar Why CCS needs to be part of Saskatchewan’s Power Future
Last week, Mayor Roy Ludwig sent an invitation to Elon Musk to come to Estevan to visit SaskPower’s carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility at the Boundary Dam Power Station. Mayor Ludwig’s invitation has brought to the forefront the importance of CCS technology, not only for the City of Estevan, but also for Saskatchewan’s future of power generation.
An economic impact study that was released last year, predicts 350 total job losses following the closures of Units 4 and 5 at Boundary Dam power station. The study indicates 100 jobs will be lost in mining and 50 will be lost in utilities, with another 200 projected lost jobs throughout the city as a result. Estevan’s GDP is also expected to be reduced by $200 million per year.
A CCS power plant is capable of producing reliable and cost competitive electrical power, a fact that can be found within various studies and annual reports. Subsidization by government can be reduced or eliminated, while power production for renewable power generation has been, and will continue to be subsidized for a period of time. It is expected that by the time a third generation of carbon capture projects takes place, subsidization will not be required or desired. The recent White Paper issued by the CCS Knowledge Centre also indicates that tax credit systems are another tool that can be unleashed to support climate targets.
Basic mechanical/chemical problems that surfaced early on in the BD3 model were addressed quickly and a second generation capture system that uses steam to run the capture unit saves a lot of dollars with an improved efficiency rating. Currently, there are at least 17 carbon capture projects operating or under construction world-wide, including five using coal for front end use.
With the help of our community rallying around this world leading technology, along with interest from key organizations and business leaders like Elon Musk, our city is hopeful that decision makers at the provincial and federal levels will notice and pay attention to the success of the current CCS facility and invest in the future of Estevan.
To learn more about the campaign to invite Elon Musk to the City of Estevan, visit www.estevaneconomicdevelopment.ca or check out our social media pages by searching for Estevan Economic Development on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.