The Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC), which is undertaking Australia’s first carbon storage project, yesterday welcomed the proposal of a National Carbon Capture and Storage Taskforce aimed at accelerating the adoption of carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects.

The *CO2CRC Chief Executive, Dr Peter Cook, said he looked forward to the acceleration of research, demonstration and commercialisation of carbon capture and storage projects in Australia.

“Over the past 10 years, the CRC has conducted world-leading research on CCS, which led earlier this month to the launch of Australia’s first carbon storage research and demonstration project in south-western Victoria.

“I see the taskforce as an important step in the broad adoption of the technology. The allied support for CCS from the mining union, the CFMEU, the Australian Coal Association and the Climate Institute and the World Wide Fund for Nature shows that the technology is now well accepted as an important greenhouse gas mitigation technology.

“The great benefit of CCS is that it can make deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and, therefore, must be included in the portfolio of solutions, such as energy efficiency, renewable energy and biosequestration that address climate change.

“CO2CRC has research projects underway in WA, Victoria, and NSW as well as overseas.

“CO2CRC has a number of plans to take the research and demonstration of CCS further including the establishment of a national research facility at our current demonstration site.

“The advantage of a research facility includes further trials of the types of CCS technology; and education, training and technology transfer opportunities for partner organisations and developing countries such as India and China.

“I believe a National Geosequestration Research Facility will complement the aims of the National Carbon Capture and Storage Taskforce by assisting with the accelerated demonstration and commercialisation of CCS,” Dr Cook said.

*CO2CRC collaborates with leading international and national geosequestration experts to conduct world-class research into geosequestration or carbon capture and storage. Organisations participating in CO2CRC research include CSIRO, Geoscience Australia and the Universities of Adelaide, Curtin, Melbourne, Monash and NSW; the Alberta Research Council in Canada and the US Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Industry and State core partners supporting CO2CRC are ACARP, Anglo American, BHP Billiton, BP Australia, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, KIGAM, NSW Department of Primary Industries, NZ Resource Consortium, Origin, Rio Tinto, Schlumberger, Shell, Foundation for Research Science and Technology (NZ), Solid Energy, Stanwell, the Victorian Department of Primary Industries, WA Department of Industry and Resources, Woodside and Xstrata.

CO2CRC is supported through the Australian Government’s CRC Programme. Cooperative Research Centres are engines of innovation, pulling together researchers and industry to develop new products, services and opportunities of immense value and benefit to the Australian economy, industry, environment and community. The annual CRC conference in Sydney this May brings together all CRCs across Australia along with their partners and other interested bodies to discuss the latest achievements in world class collaborative science and education.