Marinus Tabak of energy giant RWE: “We can really remove carbon dioxide from the air”
Marinus Tabak (40) from RWE says CO2-free energy from the sun and wind is not enough. The energy giant wants to obtain energy with negative carbon dioxide emissions.
For one hundred years, electricity in the Netherlands has been generated by public utilities. But since the turn of the millennium, almost all electricity companies have been in foreign hands. As a result, decisions regarding investment in bioenergy plants are now being made in cities such as Paris, Essen and Tokyo.
RWE is one of the largest private electricity producers in the Netherlands
“We produce about a quarter of all electricity in the Netherlands, more than anyone else,” says Marinus Tabak of RWE. In the German energy giant’s byzantine organizational structure, Tabak, as Head of Central Asset Management, is responsible, among other things, for the operational strategy of all RWE power plants in the Netherlands, Germany, the UK and Turkey. He arranges this mainly from Groningen.
“We are the largest private producer of electricity in Europe, after the French public company EDF, which owns all the nuclear power plants.” But while EDF mainly provides stable electricity production through nuclear power plants, RWE has a different type of power plant. This has a huge advantage and disadvantage. Disadvantage: RWE’s coal and gas power plants run on fossil fuels and therefore emit carbon dioxide2 Outside – not very little either. RWE’s coal-fired power plant in Eemshafen is the largest CO2 after Tata2Emitter to the country (4.7 million tons). In total, RWE’s power plants in the Netherlands emitted 8.2 million tons of carbon dioxide last year2 (158 million tons for the entire Netherlands).
There is also an advantage. “We have the largest fleet of flexible power plants in Europe,” says Tabak. In the past, gas-fired power stations in the Netherlands were the backbone of energy supply. In addition, they can also turn on and off quickly. Modern coal-fired power plants can do this reasonably well. Now that more and more solar panels and wind turbines are being installed, gas and coal-fired power plants are having to take a step back. But this does not diminish their importance. Because with the increase of solar energy and turbulent wind energy, it is important to have a good backup. But how can this be reconciled with the desire for carbon dioxide?2-Free flow?
Electronic warfare The first will take place on Wednesday, November 1 HW Climate Summit. The afternoon takes place at the AFAS Theater in Leusden. The biggest emitters in the Netherlands come to talk about their plans to reduce carbon dioxide2emissions and what they consider necessary to actually implement those plans.
A digital welcome speech will be held before Yvo de Boer. He has been a long-time chair of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the UN climate organization that holds the annual climate conference (this year in Dubai).
On behalf of the largest company2The Dutch emitter, Tata Steel, comes to IJmuiden Jeroen KlamperDirector of Sustainable Transformation, talks, among other things, about the company’s plans for “green steel”.
A spokesman for Shell, which has Europe’s largest refinery in Bernice Audne van HeldenVice President of Energy and Decarbonization Sectors.
Marinus Tabakhead of central asset management at energy company RWE, will talk about plans to convert coal-fired power stations at Eemshaven in Groningen and Amersentrale in Geertruidenberg to CO2.2–negative Facilities.
The fourth major emitter, which also sends a loudspeaker, is the airline KLM. Hedwig SietsmaThe Sustainability Manager explains what plans are in place to make flying less polluting.
During the second part of the afternoon, spokespersons for the political parties will respond to plans and wishes. Climate Minister and leader of D66 Rob Gitten And leader of CDA Henry Bontenball Discuss with each other. Invitations to other party leaders are still pending.
tickets for Electronic warfare The Climate Summit can be requested via ewmagazine.nl/klimaattop2023. Subscribers pay 20 euros, non-subscribers pay 25 euros.
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