NRG Energy and JX Nippon Oil and Gas Exploration Corp report that the Petra Nova project — the world’s largest post-combustion carbon-capture system – has begun commercial operation at the W. A. Parish Plant in Thompsons, Texas, southwest of Houston. The project, which received $190 million from the US Department of Energy (DOE) and project management support from the Department’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), demonstrates how carbon-capture technologies can support the flexibility and sustainability of fossil fuels at a commercial scale.

The project is designed to capture 1.6 Mt/y of CO2 from an existing coal-fired power plant.

“The Department of Energy is proud of its support of the Petra Nova project, and we congratulate NRG, JX Nippon, and all those who made this achievement possible,” said Christopher Smith, Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy. “As the world’s largest post-combustion carbon capture system, the Petra Nova project confirms that carbon capture and storage technologies can play a critical role in ensuring the Nation’s energy security and providing good jobs for American workers, all while helping us reduce carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants.”

The Office of Fossil Energy funds research, development and demonstration projects to reduce the risk and cost of advanced carbon technologies and further the sustainable use of the nation’s fossil resources.