Jun 2007 - Australian Institute of Energy

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Australian Government review of hydrogen energy AIE members will be aware of the National Hydrogen Study commissioned by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources and published in 2003. This was followed by the Australian Hydrogen Activity Report prepared by CSIRO in 2005. However, in the 2004 Energy White Paper, hydrogen rated barely a mention. Now, hydrogen is back on the Government’s agenda. Following the recent review of nuclear power, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry and Resources is reviewing the development of the non-fossil fuel energy industry in Australia. The Committee will undertake a comparative study of the following renewable energy sectors: solar, wave, tidal, geothermal, wind and hydrogen. The study will examine the relative state of development of these sectors and their prospects for economically-viable electricity generation, storage and transmission. This means, hydrogen energy will be reviewed in the context of Australia’s energy business as a whole. Submissions for the review were invited by 15 June. To keep track of this review, see http://www.aph. gov.au/house/committee/isr/renewables/index.htm. Queensland alliance with South Carolina Queensland Premier, Peter Beattie, was in South Carolina on 11 May to witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Queensland and the University of South Carolina in hydrogen and fuel cells. As well as providing a framework for collaborative research between Queensland and its sister state in the United States, the agreement will support the exchange of faculty and students working in hydrogen and fuel cell technology as well as the development of business interests in the two states. The first tangible outcomes of the agreement are that the University of Queensland has been chosen as the international partner in a proposal for a new engineering centre of excellence in the USA, and the South Carolina Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Alliance has agreed to be a sponsor of WHEC 2008, which will be held in Brisbane next year. Hydrogen plant in WA On 17 May, Rio Tinto and BP joined forces to form a joint venture, Hydrogen Energy, which will develop ‘decarbonised’ energy projects around the world. The venture will initially focus on hydrogen-fuelled power generation, using fossil fuels and carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to produce new large-scale supplies of clean electricity. Decarbonised energy projects are based on the conversion of fossil fuel feedstocks, such as coal, petroleum coke (a refinery by-product) and natural gas, to hydrogen and carbon dioxide gases, with the carbon dioxide being captured and sent for permanent sequestration in geological formations deep beneath the Earth’s surface. In power projects, the hydrogen would be used to fuel a gas turbine for generation of industrial-scale supplies of electrical power. Full integration with CCS technology would ensure that 90% of the carbon dioxide which would otherwise have been emitted to the atmosphere would be safely captured and stored. On 21 May, Hydrogen Energy announced it would undertake feasibility studies and work on plans Hydrogen Matters for the potential development of an A$2 billion (US$1.5 billion) coal-fired power generation project at Kwinana in Western Australia to be fully integrated with CCS. If it goes ahead, the project will gasify locally-produced coal from the Collie region to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The hydrogen will be used in the first instance to fuel the power station generating 500 MW of electricity – enough to meet 15% of demand in south-west Western Australia. Each year, four million tonnes of CO2 will be captured and permanently stored in deep underground saline aquifers. This project mirrors other projects on coal gasification and CCS in the United States, and could provide the coal industry with a transitional path to a future hydrogen economy. WHEC 2008 This is a call for AIE members to help find more potential sponsors for the World Hydrogen Energy Conference (WHEC 2008) being hosted by the Australian Institute of Energy. See the advertisement on the back cover. Also, there are quite a few international hydrogen and fuel cell conferences coming up (see Calendar on page 52). WHEC 2008 will be targetting potential delegates, exhibitors and sponsors at these events, So, if any AIE members intend to go to these conferences or other hydrogen or fuel cell events and are happy to be AIE ambassadors for WHEC 2008, please contact conference organisers at whec2008@icms.com.au. 38 EnErgy nEws Vol 25 no. 2, June 2007
The Methane to Markets Partnership By Saravan Peacock, Assistant Director, Bilateral Climate Change Partnerships, Australian Greenhouse Office In October 2007 the international Methane to Markets Partnership (M2M) will take its collective expertise to Beijing to showcase opportunities to generate energy (and profits) from methane. The Beijing Expo will bring together project developers and financiers, technology manufacturers and vendors, and government policy-makers to exchange ideas and showcase new projects. A range of Australian companies and researchers are already planning to attend the expo to see the latest technologies, explore new business opportunities and exchange ideas and experience with practitioners in key markets like China, the United States, India and Europe. Methane is a valuable energy resource that is often wasted by companies and governments across many sectors of the economy. It is also a major contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, being 23 times more effective than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. As energy costs increase and governments look to reduce greenhouse gas emissions there are huge commercial opportunities to convert wasted methane to energy through already proven, cost-effective technologies. Since the industrial revolution, methane concentrations in the atmosphere have more than doubled, largely because of human activity. Methane now accounts for 16% of all GHG emissions globally, with about 60% of total methane emissions coming from anthropogenic (human-related) sources. As well as reducing emissions and promoting profits, projects that capture and use methane can also facilitate broader economic development, strengthen energy security and improve local living conditions such as air quality and industrial safety. For example, capturing methane from underground coal mines improves safety conditions by reducing explosion hazards. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION M2M was formed in 2004 to capture these benefits by promoting methane’s cost-effective capture and use as a clean energy source in the near term. M2M targets four major methane sources: animal waste management, coal mines, landfills, and natural gas and oil systems. National governments, private sector entities, development banks, non-governmental organizations, financial and technical experts, and other interested parties work together to develop methane capture and use projects internationally. There are currently 20 member countries and more than 500 companies, professionals and organisations involved in the partnership. M2M achieves its goals by facilitating public Articles and private sector investment in projects that capture and use methane. Partners work together to both identify barriers to the development of projects and support activities to help overcome these barriers. These activities include capacitybuilding workshops and other training events, technology transfer, feasibility studies, and technical assistance. Partners also work together to identify and assess potential project sites and to clarify regulatory and legal issues. The Methane to Markets Partnership Expo in Beijing from 30 October to 1 November 2007 is the premier international forum for promoting project opportunities and technologies that capture and use methane. The expo’s technical programme will include four sector-specific tracks, along with presentations, training, and other sessions. The expo will be hosted by China’s National Development and Reform Commission and the United States’ Environmental Protection Agency along with China’s major industry departments and three major Chinese state-owned oil and gas companies. Among the major sponsors for the event is the Asian Development Bank, which has extensive experience with clean energy projects. The Australian Government will have a stand to promote Australian companies and expertise, and to highlight the work Australia is doing to promote the worldwide capture and use of methane. Figure 1: Australia’s sector contributions to methane emissions, 2005 Action in each of the partnership’s four key target sectors – coal mine methane, landfill gas, oil and gas, and the agriculture sector – is coordinated by a subcommittee with its own action plan focussed on sector-specific issues. 39 EnErgy nEws Vol 25 no. 2, June 2007
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Jun 2007 - Australian Institute of Energy

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