Bismarck, N.D. – Basin Electric has taken another step forward in its efforts towards the development of an innovative carbon capture and storage project. The project, designed to test the capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) from a conventional coal- based power plant, is viewed as a potential technical solution to address climate change while keeping coal based electricity as an integral part of our nation’s energy footprint.

Basin Electric’s board of directors authorized an agreement with Doosan Babcock Energy, and technology providers HTC Purenergy, to conduct a Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) study. The FEED will evaluate the feasibility of adding CO2 capture equipment at the Antelope Valley Station near Beulah, N.D. A resolution was unanimously passed this week by the directors of Basin Electric during their regular monthly board meeting.

Ron Harper, Basin Electric CEO and general manager, said that choosing a technology provider is one part of this process. “This decision is yet another step in the long process of identifying solutions to successfully address the challenges of a clean energy future,” Harper said. “I applaud our board’s vision in these very dynamic times. This was a major decision.”

Harper emphasized the board’s action does not authorize the ultimate project – it simply directs Basin Electric to conduct the FEED study. 
Harper also said HTC has a proven technology that has been used for many years in a variety of applications to successfully capture CO2. The cost of the FEED study is estimated at $6.24 million, of which $2.7 million is being funded by the North Dakota Industrial Commission.

The FEED study will focus on the costs and engineering of retrofitting Antelope Valley to add the CO2 capture equipment and technology to one of the plant’s two, 450-megawatt units. It’s anticipated the retrofit would capture the equivalent of a 120-megawatt slipstream from exhaust gases.

HTC’s proprietary CO2 capture technology, supported by Doosan, is designed to capture 90 percent of the incoming CO2.

Iain Miller, CEO of Doosan Babcock, said, “I am delighted that Doosan Babcock in partnership with HTC Purenergy has been chosen to conduct this project for Basin Electric Power Cooperative. This illustrates that Doosan Babcock is at the cutting-edge of carbon capture technology, and this project is an important milestone in the commercial implementation of carbon capture.” Lionel Kambeitz, Chairman and CEO of HTC Purenergy, added that Basin Electric Power Cooperative is a globally recognized leader in CO2 management through its high-profile CO2 capture project (at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant), and “In this new project, Doosan Babcock and HTC will provide and integrate world leading carbon capture technology into the Basin Electric Antelope Valley Station coal fired power plant.”

In January 2009, the Rural Utilities Service, committed to financing about $300 million toward development of adding CO2 capture technology to AVS. In July 2009, the U.S. Department of Energy announced its intention to enter into a cooperative agreement with Basin Electric for a potential of a $100 million grant to develop a CO2 capture technology.

Basin Electric is a consumer-owned, regional cooperative headquartered in Bismarck, N.D. It generates and transmits electricity to 136 member rural electric systems in nine states: Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. These member systems distribute electricity to about 2.8 million consumers.

Doosan Babcock designs, supplies and constructs advanced steam generation technology for the power industry. We develop some of the cleanest, most efficient coal-powered plant in the world. Doosan Babcock is also a leading energy services company operating in the thermal power, nuclear, oil & gas and petrochemical industries. Through our innovation we support and enhance the service life of energy assets across the world. With global headquarters in the UK, Doosan Babcock employs around 5,000 personnel.

HTC Purenergy Inc. (TSX-V:HTC) is a leading provider of CO2 capture technologies that help industrial CO2 emitters significantly and economically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The captured CO2 will also help produce more oil from end of life oil reservoirs through Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR). HTC has established itself as a global leader in Carbon Capture and Storage systems through its commercial partnership with Doosan Babcock and world leading technologies developed in conjunction with the University of Regina over the last 15 years.

Source: Basin Electric