Published Friday, 19 September, 2008 at 12:53 PM
JOINT STATEMENT
Minister for Mines and Energy
The Honourable Geoff Wilson
Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Paul Lucas
Qld best placed to lead PM’s carbon capture research: Lucas
Acting Queensland Premier Paul Lucas and Energy Minister Geoff Wilson have welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement on an Institute for research into carbon capture and has urged that Queensland for its location.
“This is an excellent commitment to carbon pollution reduction and dovetails with the Bligh Government’s Tomorrow’s Queensland Q2 - green, strong and smart - ambitions,” said the Acting Premier.
“Due to a range of existing activities and research initiatives already underway in this State and given the strength and importance of our coal industry we are best placed to host this initiative,” said Mr Lucas.
The Acting Premier has written to Prime Minister this morning reinforcing Queensland’s case.
“I congratulate the Prime Minister and the Commonwealth for their national and international leadership in this vital area of economic and environmentally sustainable use of our coal resource.
“My request is that Queensland’s pioneering efforts in this area be recognised and considered as the hub for the initiative’s activities.
“The Bligh Government is already well progressed in this technology drive, having established world-first legislation to encourage and sponsor low emissions technology development.
“Low emissions coal technology is another area where the Queensland Government and the mining industry are putting their money where their mouth is.
“We are already working with the Australian Coal Industry, who, together with Queensland has established a $900 million fund for this purpose.
“Queensland has a strong export coal industry which earns overseas revenue for all of Australia not just Queensland.”
Mr Wilson further reinforced Queensland’s case highlighting that with the Commonwealth’s collaboration, the Callide Oxyfuel Project is commencing the retrofit of CS Energy’s Callide A power station, to demonstrate Oxyfuel technology.
“Similarly, the ZeroGen IGCC is well advanced in attracting substantial sponsorship support from the Australian Coal Industry, and Japanese interests are also considering substantial support and involvement in this project.
“Also Australia’s foremost research organisation, CSIRO, has been working for several years at the Queensland Centre for Advanced Technology and the Centre for Low Emissions Technologies, on a range of low emissions applied technologies projects.
“More recently, collaborative arrangements have been initiated and progressed with leading applied research organisations in Japan, Germany, the USA and China,” said Mr Wilson.
Media contact: Deputy Premier’s Office 3227 8425
“This is an excellent commitment to carbon pollution reduction and dovetails with the Bligh Government’s Tomorrow’s Queensland Q2 - green, strong and smart - ambitions,” said the Acting Premier.
“Due to a range of existing activities and research initiatives already underway in this State and given the strength and importance of our coal industry we are best placed to host this initiative,” said Mr Lucas.
The Acting Premier has written to Prime Minister this morning reinforcing Queensland’s case.
“I congratulate the Prime Minister and the Commonwealth for their national and international leadership in this vital area of economic and environmentally sustainable use of our coal resource.
“My request is that Queensland’s pioneering efforts in this area be recognised and considered as the hub for the initiative’s activities.
“The Bligh Government is already well progressed in this technology drive, having established world-first legislation to encourage and sponsor low emissions technology development.
“Low emissions coal technology is another area where the Queensland Government and the mining industry are putting their money where their mouth is.
“We are already working with the Australian Coal Industry, who, together with Queensland has established a $900 million fund for this purpose.
“Queensland has a strong export coal industry which earns overseas revenue for all of Australia not just Queensland.”
Mr Wilson further reinforced Queensland’s case highlighting that with the Commonwealth’s collaboration, the Callide Oxyfuel Project is commencing the retrofit of CS Energy’s Callide A power station, to demonstrate Oxyfuel technology.
“Similarly, the ZeroGen IGCC is well advanced in attracting substantial sponsorship support from the Australian Coal Industry, and Japanese interests are also considering substantial support and involvement in this project.
“Also Australia’s foremost research organisation, CSIRO, has been working for several years at the Queensland Centre for Advanced Technology and the Centre for Low Emissions Technologies, on a range of low emissions applied technologies projects.
“More recently, collaborative arrangements have been initiated and progressed with leading applied research organisations in Japan, Germany, the USA and China,” said Mr Wilson.
Media contact: Deputy Premier’s Office 3227 8425