June 2007 – World Environment Day

Hydrogen Energy, a new company jointly owned by BP and Rio Tinto, today announced it would begin preliminary work on a coal-fired power station that could generate 500 megawatts of electricity – enough to power 500,000 homes.

But by using clean-coal technology, four million tonnes of carbon dioxide will be captured and stored underground each year, instead of being emitted into the atmosphere. Subject to engineering and commercial studies, a final investment decision to develop the project is planned to be made in 2011. It would then take three years to build.

Mr Logan said the project had the potential to provide base-load electricity, but with very low greenhouse gas emissions. “I understand this is the first time a project of this size and type has been considered anywhere in the world and, as such, will be unique to WA,” he said. “The Carpenter Government has agreed to grant an option on the preferred location for the project’s onshore development site, adjacent to BP’s Kwinana Refinery and Rio Tinto’s HIsmelt plant.”

The project involves the gasification of Collie coal to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The hydrogen is used to fuel the power station, while 90 per cent of the carbon dioxide is captured and stored permanently in a deep underground geological formation in the offshore Perth Basin.

Mr Logan said the project would benefit from an emissions trading scheme, which is supported by the WA Government, because it would provide the project with a sustained, additional revenue stream due to its low emissions profile.

“This project has the potential to provide substantial benefits to WA and to the nation,” he said. “While the technology to be used is still being developed, there are obvious benefits to the Australian coal industry, to Australian energy security and to the national electricity industry.

“In addition, the global deployment of clean coal technologies such as this has the potential to secure a long-term future for the export of coal.”

Phone the Minister’s office – 9222 8950 – and let him know what YOU think about this Dirty Coal project to generate 4 million tonnes of CO2…

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MEDIA RELEASE

Fluidised Bed Coal Combustion (FBC) – allows coal combustion at relatively low temperatures, which reduces NOX formation. A sorbent is used to absorb sulphur.
Coal gasification – coal is reacted with steam and air or oxygen under high temperatures and pressures to form syngas (mostly carbon monoxide and hydrogen). Syngas can be burnt to produce electricity or processed to produce fuels such as diesel oil.

FACTS: The world standard for efficiency at a power plant using pulverised fuel technology, the most common technique, stands at 37.5%. Advanced pulverized fuel technology increases the average efficiency to just 41-44 percent with a forecast improvement to 50 percent in the next 100 years. Other clean coal combustion technologies are still in early stages of development and are unlikely to improve efficiency beyond 43%.

MYTH # 2 : Coal washing lowers the level of sulphur and minerals in the coal

FACTS: Coal washing results in the formation of large quantities of slurry. This is placed in waste piles. Rain drains through the piles, picking up pollutants which end up in rivers and streams. This runoff is acidic and contains heavy metals.

MYTH # 3 During combustion, “clean coal” technologies utilize pollution controls for existing power plants to reduce emissions of pollutants.

Particulate emissions – can be reduced by Electrostatic Precipitators (ESPs) and fabric filters. ESPs are most widely used. Flue gases are passed between collecting plates. These attract particles using an electrical charge.

NOX emissions – can be reduced by Low-NOX Burners (LNB). These reduce the formation of NOX by controlling the flame temperature and the chemical environment in which the coal combusts. Selective Catalytic or Non-Catalytic Reduction (SCR/SNCR) are expensive and less widely used.

SO2 emissions – can be reduced by Flue Gas Desulpurisation (FGD). Wet FGD, or wet scrubbing, is most common and absorbs SO2 using a sulphur absorbing chemical (sorbent), such as lime.

Trace elements emissions – these include mercury, cadmium and arsenic. Some emissions can be reduced by particulate controls, fluidised bed combustion and FGD equipment. Activated Carbon Injection is being trialled to remove mercury.

FACTS: Between 7 and 30 percent of coal consists of non-combustible material that just has to be eventually disposed of. “Clean coal” technologies attempt to trap these waste products before they leave the smokestalks; waste material that is trapped is then used (despite containing a number of toxic elements) or dumped as landfill.

The use of higher quality coal – lower in ash and sulphur should reduce emissions and increase efficiency, but thermal efficiency is increased by only one percent. If clean coal is used to meet the increased electricity demand predicitions of govenments instead of cleaner renewable alternatives, there will in fact be a net increase in carbon dioxide emissions.

According to a report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) mercury and its compounds are highly toxic and pose a ‘global environmental threat to humans and wildlife.’ Exposure to it has been associated with serious neurological and developmental damage to humans. The report also states that coal-fired power and heat production is the largest single source of atmospheric mercury emissions. According to the Coal Utilization Research Council ‘there are no commercial technologies available for mercury capture at coal-fuelled power plants’. Furthermore, a US Department of Energy commissioned report, states that the consistent, long-term performance of mercury control has yet to be demonstrated.

Experimental removal of mercury is prohibitively expensive at $761,000/kg mercury removed and even then 10% of the mercury still remains.

MYTH # 4 Carbon capture and storage (CCS) can trap C02 from fossil fuel combustion and “storing” it in the sea or beneath the surface of the earth.

FACTS: CCS is cost intensive. It increases the costs of power generation by 40 to 80% compared with conventional power plants, depending on the location of the plant and the storage site, and the transport and capture technology used.

CCS produces additional long-term costs. Monitoring and verification over decades is necessary to guarantee the retention of the stored carbon dioxide. Even then, opportunities to intervene in order to prevent or control unexpected leakage events are likely to be limited.

CCS is not a technology of today nor of the immediate future because of technical uncertainties as to whether it will work or not. Focusing on renewables is still the best way to go.

A Risky Business
Despite $5.2 billion of investment in the US alone , clean coal research has been plagued with difficulties. For example, of the 13 clean coal projects that the US General Accounting Office looked at, eight had serious delays or financial problems – six were behind schedule by 2-7 years and two were bankrupt and will not be completed.

The operators of the $297 million Healy Clean Coal project in the USA intend to retrofit the current clean coal plant with traditional technologies. The plant has been closed since January 2000 because safe, reliable and economical operation was not possible with the experimental technology.

Hidden Social and Environmental Costs
Social and environmental problems caused by the use of coal begin at the point where coal is mined. Mine workers are at great risk of death, injury and illness. Local communities suffer from land degradation and pollution and in many cases are forced to relocate.

At a coal-fired power plant, coal is pulverised and burnt in a high temperature furnace. Various toxic gases and tiny particles are released from the furnace into the smokestalks; pollution devices are used to try to trap pollutants before they are released into the atmosphere. The use and disposal of solid wastes trapped in the furnace and the release of gases and fine particles from the smokestacks have severe impacts on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and people’s health.

Thanks to GREENPEACE

This would be the first new project for Hydrogen Energy, which was formed to develop decarbonised fossil fuel projects around the world, with the contribution of two existing projects in Scotland and in the US. The industrial-scale coal-fired power and carbon capture and storage plant in Kwinana would generate enough electricity to meet 15 per cent of the demand of South-West WA. It would capture and permanently store about four million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The plant would draw on locally-produced coal from the Collie region to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide. A decision to invest in the project is likely by 2011, and it could begin operating in 2014.

Energy Minister Fran Logan welcomed the announcement, saying the project had the potential to provide substantial benefits to WA and the nation.

The West Australian 21st May 2007

The companies say about 90 per cent of the carbon dioxide would be captured and securely stored in a geological formation deep beneath the seabed of the Perth basin. The project will be headed by a new company, Hydrogen Energy.

The head of Hydrogen Energy, Lewis Gillies, says the plant will have enormous potential to affect the way coal will be used for power generation around the world. “Clean coal technology such as this will be essential to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, both in Australia and globally.” he said. “This project could play an important role in influencing our future power mix, strengthening Australia’s energy security while also minimising our impact on the environment.”

He says the cost of low-carbon hydrogen-fuelled power generation is higher than traditional methods and will require new regulations to make it viable. Mr Gillies says a final decision on the project could be made in 2011. He says plans are also underway for two other hydrogen power projects at Peterhead in Scotland and in the United States at Carson in California.

SOURCE: http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1928460.htm

MORE Propaganda: BP Website | Hydrogen Energy Website

Direct action and civil disobedience are the rational response in this time of crisis. Support the 8th of June International Day of Direct Action against Climate Change and the G8! Tell us about planned actions for climate justice being planned in your community. Contact us – info@risingtide.org.uk and contact@risingtidenorthamerica.org In June 2007 the G8 will understand the meaning of rebellion, revolt and revolution. Their recipe for catastrophe will be met with our global resistance!

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