Gassnova is pleased to announce that the CO₂ Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM) has been given the go-ahead from the Climate and Pollution Agency (Klif) to start technology testing. TCM will be ready for start-up in early 2012.

TCM is an industrial test arena for CCS technologies. Two technologies are up for testing: Aker Clean Carbon's amine technology and Alstom’s chilled ammonia technology. The design of the facility makes it possible to test both technologies on CO₂ emissions that are relevant both for coal and gas-fired power plants. The facility will be the world’s largest and most flexible.

TCM is an important contribution to the development of CCS handling technologies. The International Energy Agency estimates that the world will need oil, coal and gas-based energy for several decades to come, and CCS may make up 20% of the measures needed to reduce CO₂ emissions to meet the world's climate challenges leading up to 2050.  

Gassnova follows up the Norwegian state's interests in TCM and looks forward to the start-up and testing of the facility. In addition to the Norwegian government, the owners include Statoil, Shell and SASOL partners.

See additional information on Klif's and TCM's websites:

• http://www.gassnova.no/gassnova2/frontend/files//TCMutslippstillatelseeng.pdf
• http://www.gassnova.no/gassnova2/frontend/files//TCMutslippstillatelseeng.pdf