The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has announced funding for one of the world's first commercial scale CO2 capture and storage demonstration plants.
The carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies being developed by ScottishPower and E.ON will remove CO2 produced by the coal-fired station, convert it into liquid using chemicals and store it deep under the North Sea.
The funding will help further designs for the Longannet demonstration plant for ScottishPower and E.ON's Kingsnorth plant.
Work on the study is expected to be complete in 12 months. Once operational, it is expected that CO2 emissions will be reduced by 90% from one 300MW unit at Longannet.
Twitter