Tokyo, May 04: A Japanese consortium hopes to capture carbon dioxide emissions at an Australian power plant by 2009 in a world first that would be a major step towards battling greenhouse gases responsible for global warming, a report said today.
Under the plan, about 20 percent of the carbon dioxide
(CO2) released by the plant in the north eastern state of
Queensland would be trapped, liquefied then stored underground
rather than released into the atmosphere.
The Nihon Keizai business daily said j power and
Ishikawajima-Harima heavy industries would lead the project
alongside the Japanese industry ministry and Australian, US
and European firms.
Construction of the CO2-liquefying facility, slated to
cost about 124 million dollars, is expected to begin in 2007
and be ready two years later, the report said.
If successful, the process could allow power companies to
use increased quantities of cheaper and more plentiful coal in
their generators rather than costly oil.
The companies are also hoping to use the technology in
developing Asian nations, particularly china, where demand
for energy has increased rapidly.
The process, technically known as carbon dioxide
sequestration, is currently in use on some oil and gas fields
on an experimental basis.
Bureau Report