Australia's first carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) demonstration plant was opened today by the Federal Minister for Resources and Energy, the Hon Martin Ferguson MP, in the Otway Basin near Nirranda South in southwestern Victoria.
The Otway Basin Project will be Australia’s first and the world’s largest demonstration of the deep geological storage of carbon dioxide (CO2).
The carbon dioxide will be injected into a secure geological formation two kilometres underground.
Formations of this type have stored similar materials for thousands of years.
Up to 100,000 tonnes of CO2 will be injected over a period of one to two years.
The site was chosen after rigorous assessment by Geoscience Australia.
"The success of this program will confirm the CCS technology as a viable option to reduce the carbon footprint of coal," Minister Ferguson said at the opening.
"The Australian Government recognises there is no single solution to reducing our carbon footprint which is why we are supporting research and development of a range of options including renewables and gas, greater energy efficiency, demand management and, of course, carbon capture and storage."
With historic global economic growth accompanied by an insatiable thirst for energy, coal and fossil fuels will continue to provide a significant proportion of the world’s energy for the foreseeable future.
It is worth noting that Australia’s coal resources alone, assuming the advent of successful clean coal technologies, are so large that they could be significant in the global energy mix for several hundred years.
“I hope this project will encourage community acceptance of CCS and its potential role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” Mr Ferguson said.
The Otway Basin Project has been developed by the Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC) and draws on over $40 million in funding from State and Federal Governments, research organisations and industry.
"Over the past 10 years, the CO2CRC has helped put Australia at the forefront of international CCS research, development and deployment.”
“The CO2CRC is now recognised as one of the world’s leading collaborative research organisations focused on CCS, working in partnership with governments, industry and research organisations to help find a solution to the environmental consequences of rapid global economic development.”
"I am proud that my Department, through Geoscience Australia, has been involved in the CO2CRC’s research by assessing regional sites for geological storage.
“The Otway Basin Project is an excellent example of Australian innovation and of governments working in partnership with industry and research organisations to find ways of addressing the climate change challenge,” Minister Ferguson said.
Further information on the Otway Basin Project is available on the CO2CRC website: http://www.co2crc.com.au/
Media contact: Tracey Winters (Canberra) 0439 991 730