01 April 2008
If fossil fuels remain a big part of the UK's energy future then it is crucial that we develop and deploy carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) technology. The Royal Society sees this as an important issue and has undertaken a number of activities to encourage the inclusion of this technology into all future plans for carbon-emitting energy production.
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A number of new coal-fired power stations are expected to be proposed in the near future and companies have been asked to express their interest in the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform funded competition to build the first carbon capture and storage demonstration plant. In response to this Lord Rees, President of the Royal Society, wrote to Secretary of State John Hutton on 1 April, to highlight the potential risks that building new coal fired power stations could have to tackling climate change and the importance of developing and deploying carbon capture and storage technologies as fast as possible. He also highlighted the global importance of the UK developing this technology.