BHP Billiton and Saskatchewan-based electricity provider, SaskPower, have announced a partnership to accelerate the global development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology by sharing access to the data, information and lessons learned from SaskPower’s Boundary Dam facility – the world’s first full chain power sector CCS project. Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two companies, and subject to contractual terms, BHP Billiton would contribute to the establishment of a global knowledge centre to help promote research and reduce the cost and risk associated with new CCS projects.
BHP Billiton Chief Commercial Officer, Dean Dalla Valle, said he was excited that the company was working with SaskPower to support efforts to reduce the world’s emissions. “To respond effectively to climate change, we must develop and deploy a wide range of low emissions technologies more quickly than the usual commercial timeframes. But progress remains too slow.
“The individual components of CCS (capture, transport and storage) have been successfully demonstrated for many years but Boundary Dam is the first power project to bring all these together. Much more investment and many more projects are needed to bring down the cost of technology and accelerate its deployment. By making relevant information from Boundary Dam more widely available, we hope our contribution has a multiplier effect and promotes CCS investment around the world.
“We continue to assess other investments to support the development of CCS and other low emissions technology as part of our commitment to take action on climate change,” Dalla Valle said.
In welcoming the partnership Premier of Saskatchewan Brad Wall said: “We’re very happy to have BHP Billiton and SaskPower seek to partner on next steps, and make CCS more accessible to the world. With private enterprises like BHP Billiton investing in low emissions technology, we are turning the tide today in Saskatchewan, and tomorrow around the world.”
SaskPower President and CEO Mike Marsh said: “SaskPower’s CCS journey began more than a decade ago, and today we’re proud to develop this exciting opportunity with BHP Billiton. The intention of this partnership is to allow the CCS expertise and knowledge being developed in Saskatchewan to be shared worldwide, and what better way to do that than with a major global business leader.”
Giles Hellyer, President BHP Billiton Canada, said he was proud that BHP Billiton was seeking to partner with a local Saskatchewan organisation to achieve excellent work that is firmly aligned with BHP Billiton’s climate change position. “As the home of our Jansen potash project, we have a strong connection with and commitment to Saskatchewan and it’s great to see some of the innovative work being done in the region recognised globally as part of such an important effort to reduce the world’s emissions.”
“This partnership demonstrates the strength of the work being undertaken by SaskPower at the Boundary Dam facility, the support offered by the Saskatchewan Government and BHP Billiton’s commitment to tackling climate change. We know there is still much more to be done in CCS, but we are encouraged by the results we are seeing today, and the innovations we are working on for tomorrow. The Boundary Dam project offers lessons for all of us and we look forward to being part of it.”