Japan and Victoria to collaborate on clean energy
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8 September 2009
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Victoria and Japan have pledged to strengthen global efforts to reduce future greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power generation by collaborating on the development of clean coal technologies.
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Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources Minister Peter Batchelor signed two ground-breaking agreements with the Japan Coal Energy Centre (JCOAL) in Japan this week and met with key renewable energy organisations on wind, solar and geothermal technology.
Minister Batchelor said the Victorian Government was investigating ways to cut greenhouse emissions from coal as well as looking at alternative renewable energy sources such as geothermal and wave.
“These agreements are an exciting opportunity for Victoria, putting us at the forefront of clean-coal technology development, which will help us attract further investment and create new jobs.
“Japan Coal Energy Centre is an internationally respected non-profit organisation working to cut CO2 emissions from coal-fired power generation.
“Under the Memorandum of Understanding, the Victorian Government and JCOAL will focus on high-efficiency next-generation power plants, coal gasification, carbon capture and storage (CCS), efficiency improvements for existing coal-fired power stations and coal to liquids,” he said.
Mr Batchelor has also signed a Letter Of Intent on behalf of the Brumby Government with Kyushu Electric Power Company (KEPCO) to collaborate on research and development.
“KEPCO will provide ¥20 million a year (about $250,000) for the next three years for brown coal research and the development of high-efficiency power generation technologies using Victorian brown coal,” he said.
“Through initiatives like this the Victorian Government is enhancing the potential for our brown coal to be an important part of a global bid for a cleaner energy future.”
Mr Batchelor said some of the collaborative work under the new agreements would focus on CCS, which had the potential to make deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions.
“Through a number of research projects, Victoria has already positioned itself as a global leader in CCS,” he said.
Australia has the second largest deposit of brown coal in the world – 90 per cent of which is in Victoria. The State’s coal reserves have the capacity to supply energy for another 500 years.
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