A nearly $50 million national research facility opened in Perth yesterday is set to further define Western Australia’s place in the world as a resources hub, but has its work cut out for it convincing the public of its benefits according to industry leaders.
A high-tech national research facility opened in Perth yesterday is set to further cement Western Australia's standing as an international resources hub.
However its backers have their work cut out convincing the public of its benefits, according to industry leaders.
The National Geosequestration Laboratory, funded by $48.4 million of federal money and located in Kensington, has two main aims.
Primarily it will research the technical and commercial viability of capturing and storing (underground) carbon expelled in oil and gas extraction and industrial operations.
The laboratory's second role will be to inform the public about the emerging technology.
The state-of-the-art lab was recognised yesterday as a collaboration between the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Curtin University, and The University of Western Australia in a ceremony presided over by CSIRO staff, Industry and Science Minister Ian Macfarlane, Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Marmion, and resources industry stalwart Keith Spence.
Mr Macfarlane and Mr Spence said while carbon capture and storage (CCS) had the potential to transform the world's resources and industrial industries, it would not be easy communicating the importance of the practice to the broader public.
"Because of the misinformation campaign that's been run by people without the interests of the community, people in Australia do not have an understanding of carbon capture and storage," Mr Macfarlane said.
"(They) do not understand that the technology enables us to capture that carbon and store it permanently in suitable rock formations; so part of the job of this centre is to convey science based information, not hysterical rhetoric, to the community so the community not only understands it, but knows it can trust the science."
Mr Spence said despite initial community outreach programs about CCS being well received, scientists had their work cut out for them engaging more broadly with people who didn't understand or trust the technology and who had been exposed to fracking scare campaigns.
"You see all the (fracking) things that are happening in the states and everyone assumes the same practices will be applied here; I think that's a risk if you don't actually get out there on the front foot now and start explaining what this is about and how important it is," he said.
"There's a whole lot of issues that need to be researched and communicated and based on real evidence, not people's opinions."(Communication) is as important a role as the research."
CSIRO National Geosequestration Laboratory science director Linda Stalker said WA was already an industry leader, with two CCS projects under way.
The more advanced is Chevron's project on Barrow Island, which will be the world's largest when it starts injecting carbon next year, while a state government sponsored South West Hub project near Harvey involves industry partners including Alcoa of Australia, Synergy and Premier Coal.
WA's two CCS projects are among only four operating nationally, and not including a stalled project in Queensland and another Queensland project in the very early stages.
