The carbon capture test facility (CCTF) at the Shand Power Station (BDPS) continues to be occupied by SaskPower, as the Crown corporation looks to make improvements to the chemical process and to lower the chemical cost for carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology.
鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing some good work come out of CCTF,鈥� said Howard Matthews, the vice-president of power generation at SaskPower.
The CCTF facility, which opened in 2018, has not had an occupant since Shell CanSolve wrapped up a one-year stint in the facility at the end of 2018.
Since then, SaskPower has been working in the facility. They have made progress when it comes to lowering their costs for CCS technology.
SaskPower is still looking for an occupant, if it makes sense for the Crown corporation.
鈥淚f we get an outside vendor that lines up with the technology and would serve its purpose, then certainly we would look at that, but right now our focus is to use that facility for ourselves and generate the improvements to the chemical process ourselves,鈥� said Matthews.
SaskPower continues to work hand in hand with Shell on the chemical improvements.
The Crown corporation continues to speak with outside companies that are looking to use the facility directly themselves, or, in some cases, for smaller-scale companies where they don鈥檛 need the whole facility, but they would tap into the equipment.
鈥淲e take the straight flue gas out of Shand, and they can tap into the facility that way. I know there are discussions with a couple of outside companies looking at options,鈥� said Matthews.
The facility utilizes a 鈥減lug-and-play鈥� system, meaning the technology that was tested by the former tenant has now been removed and the new equipment and chemistry to be tested by a future occupant can be added into the facility for testing.
