According to research submitted by Andrew Boswell to the UK Government, The Net Zero Teesside scheme (NZT), will emit over 20 million tonnes of carbon during its lifetime. The NZT is a multibillion ânet-zeroâ project with financial backing from bp and Equinor, two of the worldâs top fossil fuels companies.
The Net Zero Teesside is a collective initiative of businesses operating in the industrial, power and hydrogen domain. The aim of the initiative is to reduce the carbon emissions using carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS). The project is expected to be valued at ÂŁ4 billion (~$5 billion) approximately and claims to capture 95% of greenhouse gases, once it commences its operation. The project has plans to develop a new-gas fired power station in the north eastern part of England. The project proposes that via the employment of CCUS technology, the greenhouse emission will be captured and buried beneath the North Sea.
However, Boswellâs research conducted on the projectâs figures itself suggests that even if the NZT gas scheme achieves its claims, it will still be emitting 20 million tonnes of carbon during its lifetime.
Boswell, an energy analyst, calculated that once the âupstream emissionsâ associated with the project, such as extraction, refining, transportation and methane emissions from the gas â including liquefied natural gas from the US â were taken into account, the power station would emit more than 20.3m tonnes of carbon pollution.
The project was granted permission by energy secretary Claire Coutinho, despite Boswellâs view on the project considered as correct. Similarly, a spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero did not disagree with the figures but showed support for the Net Zero Teesside gas scheme.
According to The Guardian, the spokesperson labelled CCUS as a ânecessityâ. The Department views the power stations proposed by the project to be vital in establishing a largely renewables-based energy system by 2050.
The battle does not stop there as Boswell backed by industrialist Dale Vince are taking the government to court.