Carbon-negative power stations possible in Aotearoa

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-08-12 03:00

New Zealand

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A new modelling study shows that retrofitting a geothermal power station could allow carbon capture from other sources like forestry residue, and bring in more money. Ngāwhā power station in Northland is already carbon-neutral, capturing and re-injecting the carbon dioxide from the geothermal waters it uses to make electricity. Researchers calculated the potential impact of a retrofit that could capture extra carbon dioxide from burning forestry slash. There were three income streams for the modified station - geothermal electricity, carbon capture and sequestration, and capturing high-purity food-grade carbon dioxide - of which food-grade carbon dioxide would be the biggest money-maker.