PPL Corporation has secured a significant federal grant of up to $72 million from the US Department of Energy (DOE) to support a groundbreaking carbon capture research and development project at its natural gas combined-cycle generation facility in Louisville, Kentucky.
This funding, awarded through the DOE‘s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), will contribute to a total investment of over $100 million in the project.
The carbon capture project, developed in collaboration with the University of Kentucky and other partners, aims to capture and utilize a portion of the CO₂ emissions from the Cane Run generating station.
This innovative technology has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by up to 67,000 metric tons per year, equivalent to the emissions of 16,000 gasoline-powered cars.
“Today marks another step forward in our strategy to enable new technologies that can help accelerate the transition to a clean energy future and close the gap to economy-wide, net-zero carbon emissions,” said PPL President and Chief Executive Officer Vincent Sorgi.
“We understand that delivering net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 will require faster action and commercialization of new technology than our industry has ever achieved, and it will require utilities leading the way on innovation.”
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The project involves installing an advanced heat-integrated CO₂ capture system at the Cane Run facility. The captured CO₂ will then be purified and reused by a nearby industrial customer.
This demonstration project will provide valuable insights into the feasibility of deploying carbon capture technology on a utility-scale.
PPL’s collaboration with the University of Kentucky and other partners has been instrumental in advancing carbon capture research.
The company has a long history of investing in clean energy R&D, with over 175 projects currently underway.
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