CO2 capture project begins in Beijing

BEIJING, CHINA - Huaneng Beijing Thermal Power Plant's carbon-dioxide-capturing project, China's first project for capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the flue gas of a coal-fired power plant, was put into successful operation on July 16.

In order to improve the air quality in Beijing, the Huaneng Group and the municipal government of Beijing signed an agreement to promote research on capturing and disposing of CO2 on August 31, 2007. Construction of the CO2-capturing project at the Huang Beijing power plant began December 2007. Engineering of the project was carried out by Xi'an Thermal Engineering Research Institute, a subsidiary of the Huaneng Group. All equipment used in the project was made in China. The project has an annual production capacity of 3,000 metric tons of 99.9% pure CO2.

The project has been listed as an international cooperation project by the governments of Australia and China. During construction, support and cooperation were received from Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization.

As the largest power producer in China, the Huaneng Group has taken the lead in building the CO2-capture project, which serves as a research and development platform for the capture and storage of CO2. The project will help lead the country in saving resources and improving environmental quality.