ZeroGen
| Part of the Global Coal Plant Tracker, a Global Energy Monitor project. |
| Related coal trackers: |
ZeroGen is a cancelled power station in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| ZeroGen | Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia | -23.509114, 150.317801 (exact) |
The map below shows the exact location of the power station.
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- IGCC with CCS: -23.509114, 150.317801
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IGCC with CCS | cancelled | coal: unknown | 500 | IGCC |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| IGCC with CCS | Stanwell Corp Ltd [100%] | Stanwell Corp Ltd [100.0%] |
Background
ZeroGen was proposed by ZeroGen Pty Ltd, a Queensland government owned company. In 2008 ZeroGen embarked upon a major Prefeasibility Study (PFS) for a nominal 500 MW Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plant with carbon capture and storage (CCS) in Central Queensland. This included capture, transport and storage of some 60–90 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) over a 30 year period. The commercial–scale deployment study was funded by the Queensland and Australian Governments and the Australian Coal Association.[1]
However, in late October 2011, the company was put into receivership by the Queensland government. Announcing the collapse of the project, the Queensland Deputy Premier Andrew Fraser stated that the project was not financially viable. "I think it's important to acknowledge here that we're talking about the potential for billions of dollars to be invested in this technology," he said.[2]
The CCS Dream
"CO2 emissions will be captured at site and transported approximately 220 kilometres by truck for injection and safe storage in deep underground reservoirs in the Northern Denison Trough," the company's website stated. Stage One of the feasibility study was expected to be completed by the end of 2009.[3]
The second stage of the project, dependant on the outcomes of the first stage, would have involved the construction of a 400 megawatt CCS project in Queensland at a site then yet to be determined. The pre-feasibility and feasibility studies for the second stage were scheduled to commence in the second quarter of 2008.[3]
The estimated cost of the total project had been reported as being $1.7 billion, "$500 million more than originally planned."[4]
While major environmental groups such as Greenpeace opposed CCS, the ZeroGen project had gained the support of WWF-Australia and the CFMEU. A ZeroGen media release cited WWF-Australia CEO, Greg Bourne, as statiung that "rapid deployment of demonstration plants like ZeroGen is necessary to determine whether CCS is practical for broad application."[5]
Federal funding
In December 2009 the Federal Minister for Resources, Martin Ferguson, announced that the government would spend up to $120 million on pre-feasibility work on four CCS related projects, one of which was the Wandoan project. In a media release Ferguson stated that the project "aims to store up to 2.0 mega tonnes of CO2 per annum. The project is near prospective geological formations for CO2 storage that are under assessment."[6]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ ZeroGen IGCC with CCS, UQ Energy Initiative, 2014
- ↑ Paul Robinson, "Clean coal project in liquidation", ABC News, October 28, 2011.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "ZeroGen Mark II", ZeroGen website, accessed August 2008.
- ↑ Drew Cratchley, "Clean coal power station a step closer: Bligh", Brisbane Times, March 19, 2008.
- ↑ "Reconfigured ZeroGen Project To Deliver Large-Scale Clean Coal by 2017", Media Release, March 19, 2008.
- ↑ Martin Ferguson, "CCS Flagship Projects Short-listed", Media Release, December 8, 2009.
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
