|
31 August 2007- A project aimed at developing Australia's first zero-emissions coal-fired power station has found central Queensland's coal and gas fields can safely store greenhouse gas underground.
The ZeroGen project, near Rockhampton in central Queensland, is an advanced feasibility study into the capture and storage of carbon emissions from coal to generate low emission electricity.
Premier Peter Beattie told the Australia-New Zealand Climate Change and Business Conference in Brisbane on Thursday that ZeroGen had successfully completed the first stage of its test drilling program.
This proved the central Queensland coal and gas fields could safely store emissions underground. "These tests came to prove that the geology in the Northern Denison Trough is suitable to safely inject and store CO2 in saline aquifers," Mr Beattie said.
"This knowledge will assist ZeroGen to locate reservoirs suitable for long-term storage of CO2, which is fundamental to any clean coal technology.
"So it's a big hurdle that has been successfully cleared.
"This means that ZeroGen can move into the next stage of its feasibility study."
Mr Beattie said the board of ZeroGen - which is owned by the Queensland government and run by its Stanwell power corporation - had approved the next phase of test drilling to locate a suitable reservoir. But he added there was still "a long way to go".
"The second drilling test will allow for an analysis of one of the greatest challenges facing clean coal technology - the costs associated with the carbon capture and storage process," Mr Beattie said.
"ZeroGen advise me the feasibility study will allow them to meet another fundamental objective - to reduce technical and commercial risk.
"They will then be able to sell their knowledge and speed up the commercialisation of carbon capture and storage right around the world."
| 
Articles 
| View all PennWell sites | View all PennWell events
Add RSS Feed
