The State Government will spend more than $300,000 to conduct a series of gasification trials on Coal from Collie.
The State Government will spend more than $300,000 to conduct a series of gasification trials on Coal from Collie.
Industry and Enterprise Minister Francis Logan announced the trials in Collie today as part of the State Government's WA Coal Futures Strategy.
"Coal gasification offers one of the most versatile and clean ways to convert coal into electricity and other valuable energy and chemical products," Mr Logan said.
"This series of trials will use an existing pilot-scale gasification facility to test Collie's coal on a larger scale. This will provide important data on the behaviour of coal as it gasifies in an industrial situation.
"Gasification as a coal-based power generation technology is increasing all over the world and Western Australian coal is specifically suited to the gasification process.
"Gasified coal allows for cleaner and more efficient energy production. These trials will provide the first coherent set of gasification performance data on Collie coal and are the first step in the WA Government's commitment towards the investigation of clean coal technology."
The WA Coal Future Strategy is committed to a range of actions to increase annual coal production from six million tonnes to 10 million tonnes over the next four years, creating new jobs and a sustainable future for WA's coal mining communities.
"The Carpenter Government is working with industry to develop new domestic and international markets for coal-based products, while improving the competitiveness of coal for domestic energy markets and investigating ways to create an environmentally friendly future," the Minister said.
Mr Logan also announced funding of more than $59,000 for a pre-feasibility study into the engineering considerations at the Port of Bunbury.
"This study will investigate what is needed to upgrade the port to allow coal exports of up to 1.5 million tonnes per annum each year," he said.
"This is the first step towards meeting the WA Government's $60million commitment to coal exports through the port. The Government is strongly committed to providing appropriate infrastructure at the Port of Bunbury, should the coal industry enter into long-term coal export contracts.
"The Coal Futures Group has been working with the coal industry and the Port of Bunbury to establish a timetable for delivery of the new facilities to maximise the opportunities for export contracts.
"The two new projects I have announced today will lead to an increase in the amount of coal produced in Collie. Together, they will work for the future prosperity of the Collie coal industry.
