Uchenna Izundu
International Editor
LONDON, Oct. 22 -- Italy's Eni SPA and electric power utility ENEL will integrate their carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects to construct a pilot plant in Brindisi under a strategic cooperation agreement signed in Rome.
Eni, Enel, and the Italian Environment Ministry will also work on developing carbon dioxide capture technologies and renewable energy, according to separate memorandum of understanding.
At the Brindisi thermal power station, Enel is working on a pilot plant that will be able to remove 2.5 tonnes/hr of gas and transport it to the Cortemaggiore site in fall 2009. Eni has started an injection project that could offload 8,000 tonnes/year of CO2 into depleted, exhausted Stogit field at Cortemaggiore (Piacenza) in fall 2010. Both companies have committed to lay a pilot dense-phase CO2 transport line at the Brindisi site to bolster their experience in transporting CO2.
They will study Italy's CO2 storage potential in partnership with Italian research bodies as the European Commission has strongly urged that this technology be widely deployed across its member states to enhance security of energy supplies. Enel and Eni plan to carry out a detailed feasibility study on the construction of a large-scale integrated demo plant for Enel's clean-coal power station.
Fulvio Conti, Enel's chief executive officer, said Enel would develop innovative technologies with Eni which could also be exported to large coal-consuming countries such as China and India.
Stefania Prestigiacomo, Italy's environment minister, said the government's support of these projects was important in fighting climate change.
Contact Uchenna Izundu at [email protected].