Whitetail Clean Energy is poised to be UK’s first net zero emissions power plant
US clean energy innovation firm 8 Rivers Capital, LLC, acting through its UK subsidiary, Zero Degrees Whitetail Development Ltd. (ZDW), and Sembcorp Energy UK (SEUK), part of Singapore-based Sembcorp Industries have announced a collaboration agreement to potentially develop the UK’s first NET Power station at SEUK’s Wilton International site on Teesside. The Whitetail Clean Energy project (Whitetail) is expected to produce about 300 megawatts (MW) of clean, efficient, low-cost electricity, with potential expansion options in the future.
8 Rivers’ UK group aims to advance multiple 300MW facilities in the United Kingdom through its Zero Degrees development business and could commission a NET Power station in the United Kingdom as soon as 2025. The Wilton International site offers convenient port and pipeline access, meaning that all of Whitetail’s captured carbon dioxide can be conveniently transported to UK sequestration sites to be permanently stored in secure geological formations deep under the North Sea.
Subject to regulatory support and if finalised to proceed, the collaboration agreement signed by ZDW and SEUK constitutes an important US-UK alliance with the potential to support a significant investment in decarbonisation in Teesside. The Whitetail facility is expected to harness the Allam-Fetvedt Cycle (AFC), pioneered by NET Power and 8 Rivers Capital. The process combusts natural gas with oxygen, rather than air, and uses supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) as a working fluid to drive a turbine instead of steam. As a result, all air emissions, including traditional pollutants and CO2, are eliminated and pipeline-quality CO2 is produced so that it can be captured and stored offshore, making Whitetail a Net Zero emissions plant.
8 Rivers Capital completed a Pre-FEED study for UK deployments of the Allam-Fetvedt Cycle technology earlier this year with funding from the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. During its construction phase, Whitetail Clean Energy is expected to support over 2,000 direct, indirect, and induced jobs, including cascading supply chain opportunities. The clean energy facility is also expected to support the retraining of power generation engineers with enhanced skills to operate this innovative infrastructure project of national significance.
Energy & climate change minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:
“The development of the UK’s first-ever net zero power station, benefitting from over £6 million government support since 2012 is a real game-changer and a significant step forward in the UK’s fight against climate change as we build back greener from the pandemic. This project not only demonstrates the UK’s leadership in helping the world decarbonise but our expertise in scaling up research and development projects, creating over 2,000 jobs in Teesside and opening up opportunities right across the supply chain – supporting our efforts to revitalise this key industrial heartland.”
Andy Koss, chief executive officer, UK & Middle East, Sembcorp Industries commented:
“Helping to bring this first-of-a-kind carbon capture technology to Teesside is part of Sembcorp Energy UK’s commitment to reducing the carbon emissions of its power generation assets at Wilton International and to be a leading provider of sustainable solutions. We look forward to working closely with 8 Rivers Capital and its UK group to further boost the region’s support of the energy transition to Net Zero. We are determined to play our part in helping the UK move towards more sustainable solutions for a low-carbon economy, while fulfilling our global strategic ambition to transform our portfolio towards a greener future.”
Ron DeGregorio, chief executive officer of NET Power commented:
“NET Power is proud to support 8 Rivers and Sembcorp Energy UK in the development of Project Whitetail. Decarbonising Teesside through NET Power’s ground-breaking technology is a critical step towards achieving the UK’s Net Zero emissions targets. In addition to those two development partners, the UK Government has been instrumental in supporting this project, and its foresight and leadership on carbon capture and storage should serve as inspiration for the rest of the world to take bold action to achieve Net Zero.”
Ben Houchen, Tees Valley mayor said:
“This is yet another huge boost for Teesside and will see more good-quality, well-paid jobs created first in construction and then the innovative clean energy sector. Sembcorp Energy UK with their Wilton International site is an incredible business in our area.
Whether it’s carbon capture, hydrogen or renewables, Teesside is already leading the way for the rest of the UK to follow and championing these new technologies. This project complements what we’re doing on the Teesworks site to make Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool an energy powerhouse in this field. We’re only going to continue to capitalise on new opportunities as the Teesside Freeport gets up and running, bringing with it more investment and jobs.”
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