Yesterday, January 10, 2017, NRG Energy, Inc. (NRG) and JX Nippon Oil and Gas Exploration Corporation (JX Nippon) announced 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 Petra Nova project, which received $190 million from the U.S. 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 million tons of CO2 per year from an existing coal-fired power plant.

The following statement was released yesterday:

“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. To learn more about the programs within the Office of Fossil Energy, visit our website or sign up for FE news announcements.  To learn more about the Office of Fossil Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory, visit the NETL website.