Debate on coal use emissions reduction

The energy industry will get its first big chance to debate and respond to the Federal Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme green paper at the Coal Tech 2008 conference in Brisbane on 29-30 September.

The green paper proposes a limited amount of direct assistance to existing coal-fired electricity generators, and points to the potential benefits from developing clean coal technology, particularly viable carbon capture and storage.

At Coal Tech 2008, advances in carbon capture and storage, coal gasification, coal-to-liquids, coal drying and other technologies will be given a thorough airing.

With overseas and local electricity demand growing unabated coal fired power generation continues to be the preferred energy source in most countries into the foreseeable future. And with Goldman Sachs predicting $149 a barrel year-end price target for crude oil, coal gasification and coal-to-liquids technologies are taking the spotlight among viable alternative fuels.

Professor Victor Rudolph from the University of Queensland is to provide an update on current CO2 storage projects in Australia, while other speakers will go into detail on individual projects.

Among other speakers are Gordon Couch, from the International Energy Agency Clean Coal Centre, UK, who will provide an international update on coal to liquids and implications for transport fuels, and Barry Ford, CEO of Hybrid Energy, who will review the FuturGas project involving coal to liquids gasification and integrated electricity generation.

www.iir.com.au/coaltech

Expert optimistic on carbon capture

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Carbon capture and storage has been demonstrated around the world for 10 years and can be ‘scaled up’ to meet Australia’s requirements, according to Frank van Schagen, Managing Director of Australian Black Coal Utilisation Research Ltd.

However, as a prerequisite, the technologies need to be improved and made more economic, large storage sites need to be identified and characterized, and transport corridors established, he says.

“Most importantly, we need the regulatory or legislative ‘wrapper’ to allow business to take up the opportunity.”

He says implementing the technology is costly, but “moving to an emissions trading system and putting a price on carbon provides some opportunity to offset that cost”.

Mr van Schagen is Day 2 Chairman of the Coal Tech 2008 conference in Brisbane on 29-30 September, when energy industry participants will gather to debate and respond to the Federal Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme green paper.

The green paper proposes a limited amount of direct assistance to existing coal-fired electricity generators, and points to the potential benefits from developing clean coal technology, particularly viable carbon capture and storage.

The work done by the CRC for Greenhouse Technologies who’ll be presenting at Coal Tech 2008 shows significant potential for storage, Mr van Schagen says.

Professor Victor Rudolph from the University of Queensland is to provide an update on current CO2 storage projects in Australia, while other speakers will go into detail on individual projects.

Among other speakers are Gordon Couch, from the International Energy Agency Clean Coal Centre, UK, who will provide an international update on coal to liquids and implications for transport fuels, and Barry Ford, CEO of Hybrid Energy, who will review the FuturGas project involving coal to liquids gasification and integrated electricity generation.

Much interest will centre on advances in coal gasification, coal-to-liquids, coal drying and other technologies, especially with predictions by Goldman Sachs that the year-end price for crude oil could reach $149 a barrel. www.iir.com.au/coaltech

Nigel Dique
02 9080 4108
nigel.dique@iir.com.au