Google – UCG plant Uzbekistan 1999 Dr Len Walkerto find an...

Google – UCG plant Uzbekistan 1999 Dr Len Walker

to find an article by Dr Walker (1999) when he was MD of Linc Energy, that gives a background into UCG development overall, and in Australia, and describes setbacks to commercialisation.

The United States had spent hundreds of millions of dollars in UCG R&D without it resulting in a commercial project at that time. They didn't see it as an economic proposition.

Despite this, Dr Walker looked to the Russian example as a showcase of a viable commercial operation.

I was impressed with how forward looking Dr Walker was in his vision to introduce a commercial UCG operation to Australia.

There are more compelling economic and environmental reasons for UCG technology to be developed now.

To quote Dr Walker: “The threat of a carbon tax and emission trading system for greenhouse gases places even greater emphasis on the development of a more efficient use of coal as an energy source.” (1999)

The original vision of Linc was to use the gas from coal for power generation. Under Mr Bond, the vision was developed to purify the gas for synthetic fuel in a GTL plant. Cougar Energy proposes to use the gas for fuel to run small power plants, and in conjunction with the VRB-ESS system (Vanadium battery storage system), for storage of the electricity.

That is the "strategic vision" - meanwhile, the coal is still coal sitting in the ground, and the Kingaroy tenement is still to be assessed for its suitability for a UCG project.

Cougar Energy has access to other MLM coal tenements and is seeking access to other coal leases outside of Queensland. Ergo Exergy has agreed to cooperate with Cougar Energy (Australia) in the development of UCG technology in “several states” in Australia. (Dec. 5, 2006)