SaskPower’s Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) facility near Estevan
The Company:
SaskPower is the principal supplier of electricity in Saskatchewan, serving more than 538,000 customers and managing $11.8 billion in assets. The Crown corporation has a generating capacity of 3,542 megawatts (MW) from 17 generating facilities, including three coal-fired power stations, five natural gas stations, seven hydroelectric stations and two wind power facilities.
The Achievements:
SaskPower’s Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) facility near Estevan, as of Nov. 4, had captured more than three million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) – equivalent to taking 750,000 vehicles off the road.
SaskPower has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. It will achieve this target through increased use of renewable energy, as well as moving to lower-carbon forms of fuel such as natural gas and continuing to utilize CCS.
In the fall of 2014, Boundary Dam Power Station became the first power station in the world to successfully use CCS technology.
The Carbon Capture and Storage Facility is capable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to one million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year – the equivalent to taking 250,000 cars off the road.
It also captures 90 per cent of carbon dioxide, 100 per cent of sulphur dioxide and 50 per cent of the nitrogen oxides.
In addition, the project allowed for manufacturing of other products from the byproducts captured. Sulphur dioxide is converted to sulphuric acid and sold for industrial use. Fly ash, a byproduct of coal combustion, is sold for use in ready-mix concrete, pre-cast structures and concrete products.
The Team:
SaskPower’s renewable energy initiatives rely on the contributions of teams drawn from more than 400 professional engineers employed at the Crown corporation.