An A$900 million fund has been established to support investment in the development, demonstration and widespread implementation and use of low emission coal technology. Funding contributions include A$300 million from The Queensland Government’s Future Growth Fund and an industry investment of $A600 from the Coal 21 Fund.
The Queensland Clean Coal Technology Special Agreement Act 2007, assented in 2007, established the Queensland Clean Coal Council. The Council will advise the Premier regarding the allocation of the A$900 million joint investment by the Queensland Government and the Queensland coal industry, through the Australian Coal Association’s (ACA) Low Emissions Technology Ltd, to meet the objective of accelerating the development and deployment of low emission coal technologies.
The Queensland Clean Coal Council, comprising senior government officials, coal industry representatives and research institution representatives, is responsible for advising the Queensland Premier on funding priorities. Since its inception in 2007 the Council has met on a quarterly basis to discuss the way forward for low emission coal, including providing funding to a work program to assess the State’s underground carbon storage potential, and progress of Queensland’s low emission coal projects.
EXPERIENCE:
Throughout 2009 the Council will be working to review projects that have the capacity to be delivered in the early part of next decade and can demonstrate the ability to transfer know-how and understanding of low emission coal technology in Queensland conditions to the development efforts of larger scale projects by 2020.
