THE Australian Coal Association has welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement that the Australian Government would become a member of the FutureGen International Partnership.
ACA Executive Director Ralph Hillman described the move as a positive step that would strengthen international collaboration on an important low emission technology capable of delivering significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
It was a further indication of the governments support for clean coal technology as a part of the global effort to address climate change.
Hillman noted that a number of ACA members, Anglo, BHP Billiton, Peabody, Rio Tinto and Xstrata Coal, were already FutureGen Alliance members and were consolidating their expertise in the design, development and demonstration of advanced coal gasification technologies.
In March 2006, the ACA announced the establishment of the COAL21 Fund as part of a worldfirst whole-of-industry funding approach to support greenhouse gas abatement.
The Australian black coal industry will raise A$1 billion plus over the next decade through the COAL21 Fund to support the demonstration of low emissions technologies in the power generation sector and supporting R&D. Under an agreement with Queensland Government, the Australian black coal industry will commit A$300 million towards an integrated gasification combined cycle plant (IGCC) as part of a national portfolio of clean coal technology projects being developed under the COAL21 Fund. This plant will demonstrate similar technology to the FutureGen project under Australian conditions and using Australian coal.
The COAL21 Fund has also committed to supporting projects in New South Wales.
For more information, visit www.australiancoal.com.au or www.coal21.com.au.