Queensland set for clean coal future

Clean coal technology deployment will be required to bring about deep cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions, Mines and Energy Minister Geoff Wilson said today.

Addressing around one hundred energy leaders and scientists at the Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies (QCAT) 3^rd Annual Innovation and Excellence Day, Mr Wilson said the Queensland Government’s commitment to the development of clean coal technologies would see Queensland become a world leader in environmentally friendly power generation.

“Early and decisive action, under the energy policy components of ClimateSmart 2050, forms a critical pathway for achieving a national greenhouse gas reduction target of 60 percent below our 2000 levels by 2050”, Mr Wilson said.

One of the key features of ClimateSmart 2050 involves a joint $900 million investment from the Queensland Government and the Queensland coal industry to demonstrate clean coal technologies.

“Without intervention, stationary energy emissions in Queensland are forecast to grow to 77 million tonnes per year by 2030, or over 200 percent of 2000 emission levels”, Mr Wilson said.

The clean coal technology initiatives under ClimateSmart 2050 builds on previous investment by the Queensland Government towards the Centre for Low Emission Technology located at QCAT.

“We now have significant clean coal technology demonstration projects under development in Queensland backed by world class scientists undertaking clean coal research at QCAT”, Mr Wilson said.

Media inquiries: Brooke Johnson (07) 3224 7332