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20 July 2006

BP, GE team on hydrogen plant plan

When it comes to power generation, fossil fuels such as natural gas and coal will continue to be in the mainstream for quite a while, but new technology will soon allow for a cleaner alternative by creating hydrogen from fossil fuels while capturing and sequestering the carbon as carbon dioxide in deep geological formations.

Toward that end, BP and GE will work together to develop and deploy hydrogen power that can reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.

“BP and GE’s strategic approaches to developing increasingly cleaner, lower carbon power options are closely aligned, and our skills and strengths are highly complementary,” said Vivienne Cox, BP’s chief executive of Gas, Power and Renewables.

“Tomorrow’s energy mix will include hydrogen, and GE and BP are taking the lead in ensuring progress begins today,” said David Calhoun vice chairman of GE and president and chief executive of GE Infrastructure.

BP has plans for two hydrogen power projects with carbon capture and sequestration in Scotland and California, both of which will use GE technology.

The companies are looking at 10 to 15 further projects over the next decade, including plants in Scotland and California.

Low carbon power projects use fossil fuels such as natural gas, petroleum coke, or coal for power generation combined with carbon dioxide capture and storage technology. They generate significant quantities of base-load power while capturing and storing 90% of carbon dioxide in deep geological formations.

“The combination of coal gasification and carbon capture and sequestration is crucial for clean coal development and presents great opportunities for countries with substantial reserves of coal such as the U.S., China, and India,” said Lewis Gillies, BP’s director of hydrogen power.

For related information, go to www.isa.org/productivity.