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24/10/09Earthworks move CQ Carbon Capture and Storage project closer to reality
Earthworks are underway as the first step for turning a central Queensland power station into a demonstration plant of Carbon Capture and Storage technology.
With tomorrow International Day of Climate Action, Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Stephen Robertson congratulated the Callide Oxyfuel Project on reaching the milestone.
"Initiatives like the Callide Oxyfuel Project are moving Queensland closer to achieving our Towards Q2 target of reducing our carbon footprint by one third by 2020," Mr Robertson said.
"This government is creating a clean energy future for Queensland and we are investing heavily in renewable and low emission technologies.
"Callide A is an old disused power station that willl be retrofitted and converted into a 30 megawatt Carbon Capture and Storage demonstration plant.
"Up until now, most work has either been refurbishments or testing of the existing power plant.
"The plant was fired up for the first time in seven years since its closure in 2001 and earthworks have begun so it can be retrofitted with oxyfuel carbon capture technology.
"The Bligh Government and the coal industry are investing $900 million to help develop low emission coal technology and this is another step forward in bringing this clean energy to life.
"The Government also has submitted two clean coal projects for funding under the funding under the Commonwealth's $2 billion Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Flagships Program.
"This includes our 400 megawatt ZeroGen proposal and the 334 megawatt Wandoan proposal by GE Energy and Xstrata."
Gladstone's Blomfield Excavations won the contract for earthworks for two key parts of the oxyfuel carbon capture process at Callide A - the oxygen plant and carbon dioxide processing plant.
The works are the first step in retrofitting oxyfuel technology at Callide A to capture carbon dioxide produced from coal-fired electricity and prepare it for geological storage, which will occur at an off-site location still to be determined.
Blomfield staff are preparing 1.4 hectares of land on the eastern side of Callide A for construction of the oxygen and carbon dioxide plants. The earthworks are expected to be completed in mid-November.
Once the earthworks are complete, construction will begin later this year on the oxygen plant and in mid-2010 on the carbon dioxide plant.
The Callide Oxyfuel Project is a joint venture between CS Energy, ACA Low Emissions Technologies Ltd, Xstrata Coal, Schlumberger, and Japanese participants, JPower, Mitsui & Co. and IHI Corporation. The project has also received financial support from the Australian, Queensland and Japanese governments.
For more information, visit www.callideoxyfuel.com.
Last Updated 03 November 2009
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