Climate Change Bill — Electricity generating station performance standards — rejected — 28 Oct 2008 at 20:45

The majority of MPs voted against adding a new clause^[1] to the Climate Change Bill which would have given the Secretary of State the power to set the maximum level of carbon dioxide that may be emitted per unit of output by any generating station requiring consent for construction or extension under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 through compulsory regulations that may include:

• specifying how proposed generation stations are able to comply with any greenhouse gas emissions performance standard including by the capture of carbon dioxide at the generating station and its transport to and injection into geological storage provided that such activities are licensed in accordance with applicable laws and regulations
• specifying the basis on which emissions of greenhouse gases from combined heat and power generating stations shall be calculated such that the unit of output includes useful heat produced in addition to electricity generated by any such generating station
• specifying any sources of electricity generation, including electricity generated from renewable sources, that are deemed to be compliant with any greenhouse gas emissions performance standard.

The lengthy debate over this new clause occurred earlier.^[2] The argument against it was that it would prevent the construction of coal power stations before the hypothetical and unproven carbon capture technology was operational.^[3]

• [1] New Clause 11 - Greenhouse gas emissions performance standard (electricity generating stations), House of Commons - 28 October 2008
• [2] Gregory Barker MP, House of Commons, 28 October 2008
• [3] Joan Ruddock MP, House of Commons, 28 October 2008

Debate in Parliament | Source |