NEW CLEAN TECHNOLOGY HELPS SECURE LATROBE VALLEY'S ENERGY FUTURE
New and innovative clean energy technologies could significantly cut Victoria’s greenhouse gas emissions and help ensure the Latrobe Valley’s future as the energy hub of Victoria, the Minister for Energy & Resources, Peter Batchelor, said today.
Mr Batchelor today launched a new coal drying pilot plant at Loy Yang power station, which has attracted a $2.42 million investment from the Victorian Government, and visited the BioMax Fuel trials at Hazelwood Power Station.
“The launch today of the brown coal test drying plant at Loy Yang Power Station is the culmination of eight years of work by government and industry and is a significant step forward,” Mr Batchelor said.
“The Brumby Government is committed to working with industry on projects that will help us achieve our targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which is why we were delighted to invest $2.42 million in this project.
“The use of this home grown technology, called Mechanical Thermal Expression (MTE) has the potential to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions from brown coal power generation.
“Latrobe Valley brown coal has a high moisture content, typically around 60 per cent. The MTE technology squeezes moisture from the coal, making power generation from the dried coal more efficient and reducing CO2 emissions.”
Mr Batchelor said the MTE pilot plant would be trialled over coming months and provide a template for industry to develop this technology on a commercial scale.
“The Latrobe Valley’s brown coal reserves play a vital role in ensuring Victorian industry and households have a reliable, affordable and secure supply of electricity,” he said.
“However, the future of coal use lies in it becoming greener through technological advances such as this pilot project.”
Mr Batchelor also visited the BioMax Fuel trial at the Hazelwood power station.
“The development of biofuels, such as those being produced through the trial at Hazelwood, also has the potential to help cut Victoria’s greenhouse gas emissions,” Mr Batchelor said.
“While in its early stages, the BioMax trial uses algae to harness sunlight and some of the carbon dioxide emissions from Hazelwood’s power generation, to create solids, which can be converted into biodiesel and ethanol.
“Biofuels offer greener fuel alternatives and have the potential, through technological advances, to become viable alternatives to petrol and conventional diesel.
“The Brumby Government has made a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent by 2050 compared to 2000 levels.
“In addition to our commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions, the Brumby Government has also announced a target of five per cent of Victoria’s fuels being biofuels by 2010.”
Minister for Climate Change, Gavin Jennings, said that new fuel sources and developing commercially viable, cleaner ways using existing fuels were crucial to combating climate change.
“Technological improvements in biodiesel production and projects such as the coal drying plant will sit alongside other alternative energy sources, such as solar and wind power, playing a leading role in meeting these targets,” Mr Jennings said.
The $6.3 million MTE project has been jointly funded by the Brumby Government, Federal Department for Environment and Water Resources and five power generation companies: Loy Yang Power, International Power Hazelwood, International Power Mitsui, TruEnergy Yallourn and Flinders Power.
“The Brumby Government is serious about ensuring Victoria has clean long-term energy sources and has committed more than $180 million to projects for clean coal, and renewable energy,” Mr Batchelor said
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