Brussels, 14/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs took part in the official launch of a pilot installation for CO2 storage facility in Ketzin, Germany. This is the first of its kind onshore in Europe. The project aims to develop the basis for underground storage of CO2 in a saline aquifer at the depth of around 1,800m. The EU is co-funding its estimated €30 million budget with a contribution of €8.7 million under the EU's 6th Framework Programme for R&D.
Last January the Commission called for the construction and operation of 10-12 of these kinds of industrial-scale demonstration power plants by 2015 to prove the commercial viability of CCS-equipped coal and gas fired power plants in carbon capture and storage. These plants will draw heavily on the experience from Ketzin.