The CO2-free power plant

Power plant Jänschwalde in the Lusatia region, Germany. Source Vattenfall Press

Mr. Kosel, the Vattenfall Group has power plants all over Europe. What is so special about the Schwarze Pumpe location?

It's the simple fact that the biggest CO2emitters of the Vattenfall Group are all located at the Lausitz area – fired with local lignite. When it was time to arrive at a decision for the research project, it was clear: If you wanted to prove the technical feasibility of coal fired electricity generation with a low CO2 emission, it had to be done at Lausitz. The region is has been characterized by energy production for a very long time. There you have the most modern brown coal power stations in the world, a lot of wind power stations as well as biomass and biogas power stations. The universities in the region are researching energy in every way. You can call it an energy region, if you want. For an engineer focusing on energy production, this is a perfect environment.

The idea of the Oxyfuel process is to capture the carbon dioxide before it's released into the atmosphere and then store it in a safe place. Do you see any chance that this could be standardized on an international level one day?

The process is a chance of using fossil fuel fired electricity generation with a low environmental impact. Worldwide use of fossil fuels, especially of coal, has increased in recent years, just like power demand in general. At the same time, people have become aware of the fact that the anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases have to be curbed. If you take all that into account, I think the chances are very good — of course, only if we don't encounter any serious technical difficulties. There are Oxyfuel research projects in the US, in Canada and in Australia, which indicates some international interest.

You’re in a very responsible position for a 30-year-old. What has brought you there so quickly?

I studied industrial engineering at Brandenburg Technical University and wrote both my student research project and my diploma thesis at Vattenfall. That got me started easier, because I knew the company and the company knew me. I'm convinced that a good thesis for a company dealing with a real problem is the best application you can think of. But I was, to be honest, also in the right place at the right time. Not everyone with comparable qualifications is lucky enough to participate in such an important and interesting project. I was offered a chance, and my part was to prove that I'm the right person for the job. Apparently I was successful at that, because in the course of the project I was appointed assistant project manager. To be more precise, I'm responsible for the wet flue-gas cleaning units and for the test measuring technique.

How many people work in your team?

The professional group R&D/basic technology consists of nine colleagues. The power plant technology department, which we belong to, comprises about 50 men and women.

What's a typical day in your life at Vattenfall?

I usually start my day at 7:30, but that's up to me — at Vattenfall we have totally flexible working hours. My workspace is the office and the largest part of my job is done in front of the computer. I also have coordination talks within the team and with our partners — the frequency varies according to the phase of the project. I like the fact that I get to leave the office regularly, whether for a symposium, a technical symposium or something else. Most of the time, my day ends at 16:30, but 18:00 or 19:00 isn't very exceptional either.

What are some of the lessons you've learned so far? 

I always had jobs besides my studies and so I figured, when I get done doing both things, and only have a job… I won't have any problems in my professional life. If you take up a “real” job, however, and you're responsible for an allocation worth several million euros, you'll have a hard time sleeping the day before the negotiation. Of course, after a while you get used to the amount of responsibility on your shoulders.

As far as technical knowledge is concerned, I think it's indispensable to know your basics. But the university can't cover all aspects and so I'm grateful for my experienced colleagues who were really helpful, almost on a friendship level.

What is the biggest challenge in your job?

My job is really fascinating because every so often we came across new aspects — things that never occurred before — and for which we have to find solutions very quickly. That's fun to both young and old colleagues. It's challenging to not work according to the book, but to look for innovative solutions permanently.

Your project is in the centre of the public eye. Do you feel pressure?

I try to think about the public interest in the project as little as possible, in order to keep the pressure low. It isn't easy, because we see high-ranking representatives of different expert panels or politicians visiting the site on a weekly basis.

The targets for the project are tough. What are your chances of succeeding?

I think our goals for the project are ambitious, but it's doable, or to quote the band Blumentopf: “Wer sich selber nicht bewegt, der bewegt nichts.” (If you don't move, nothing will happen.)

Mr. Kosel, environmental protection is a principle at Vattenfall. What about your personal contribution?

I'm fully convinced that technology has to improve our quality of life, and it has to achieve that with a minimum impact on the environment. I also believe that environmental protection has to be practicable. At my house, the TV is never on standby — it's either on or off. Most of the light bulbs I use are energy-saving ones. I do the little things that everyone can do at home too.