CEOG PROJECT
CEOG: FRENCH WESTERN GUIANA POWER PLANT
THE PROJECT
SEVERAL MEGAWATT PRODUCTION OF CLEAN POWER IN FRENCH GUIANA
CEOG powerplant will produce reliable and quality electricity, injected into the Guiana electricity grid, 24/24, 365 day/year. Located west of French Guiana, the plant will increase the electricity offer in this area and therefore contribute to improve the local energy supply.
CEOG is an industrial infrastructure designed to run for a minimum of 20 years. Its technology and modular conception aim for an easy and inexpensive evolution: the power being stored as hydrogen in gas tanks, multiplying the number of tanks will suffice to increase the electricity stored by the plant. This will allow to inject even more renewable energy into the grid.
All this with no greenhouse gas emission, no pollution, no supply logistics and no fuel importation.
ENERGETIC INDEPENDENCE / INTERNATIONAL REFERENCE
The objective of energetic independence for French overseas territories by 2030 is very ambitious. Territories will benefit from a reliable electricity independent from external markets. Its price will be competitive and set in advance.
The technology making this objective of energetic independence possible already exists: smart grids, competitive renewable energy, mass storage of energy.
CEOG proves possible today the generation of reliable and clean power, its mass storage for a duration long enough to cover a whole night of supply to the grid, at a lower cost than the current production cost based on fossil fuel.
CEOG is the first power plant worldwide to store in the form of hydrogen as many renewables produced locally to generate reliable electricity for local use.
CEOG is a significant example of non-polluting power production. It will contribute to Guiana’s energetic independence and set a reference worldwide.
LOCAL EMPLOYMENT
CEOG project is set in 3 steps. Each step requires local professional resources in different areas and with different competences.
1- Development phase: 2018
This phase involves engineering experts (topography, environmental impact, industrial risks, wood enhancement, etc.). Where possible, expert engineers of Guiana will be contracted.
2- Building phase: 2019-2020
CEOG plant will become a large building site for a year. The site will require local labour and will generate a hundred of jobs in addition to the jobs related to the local economic returns (catering, etc.).
3- Operation phase: 2020-2040
The power plant is designed to run for a minimum of 20 years. The plant, running 24/24, requires technician and guards. 30 jobs that cannot be relocated will therefore be created to run the plant during 20 years.
BENEFITS FOR FRENCH GUIANA
ENVIRONNEMENT
HYDROGEN
Hydrogen is a non-toxic and very energy-efficient gas: it is twice as efficient as petrol or natural gas, and three times as efficient as diesel. Hydrogen can run several engines and turbines. Through fuel cells, hydrogen directly generates electricity. The only residue resulting from this process is pure water in the form of steam.
A way of generating hydrogen is water electrolysis, using the electricity supplied by renewable energy. This hydrogen called “green hydrogen” allows the storage and re-use of this renewable energy, pollution-free. Hydrogen therefore becomes an energy carrier for storage that solves the inconvenience of intermittence characterizing solar or wind energy.
CEOG follows this process to generate clean power, even at night or during cloudy days with reduced sunshine.
Today, hydrogen is used and manipulated daily at a large scale in various industries. Its use is regulated and industrial risks have been under control for over 100 years.
ENVIRONNEMENTAL FOOTPRINT
CEOG’s environmental footprint is low. The operating principle of a hydrogen energy chain (electrolyzer, hydrogen storage, fuel cell) doesn’t require many resources that need to be extracted and transformed. Nor does it require a polluting electrochemical process generating hardly recyclable products either.
A hydrogen energy chain is mainly made of reusable metal. It uses water, produces oxygen and hydrogen, and generates pure water at the end of its life cycle.
The infrastructure mostly being able to fit in containers, the installation onsite remains simple and needs little civil engineering. This reduces even more its environmental impact.
Containerisation also allows an easier dismantling at the end of the power plant’s life cycle. Dismantling too will have a limited impact as the infrastructure is mainly made of metal, which will be recycled through the conventional metal sector.
Finally, CEOG’s yearly power production will be about 50 GWh. This corresponds to the average power consumption of 10,000 homes a year.
According to the ADEME (French Agency dedicated to Environment and Energy Saving), in comparison with a conventional diesel thermal power plant delivering an equivalent service, CEOG saves the release in the atmosphere of 39,000 tons of CO2 a year.