CO2CRC Partners: Stanwell Corporation
Stanwell is a Queensland Government owned corporation and actively supports the development of new technologies to improve environmental performance and, in particular, reduce carbon emissions.
Stanwell is investing substantially in research and development and have conducted their own studies into the potential of Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) and geosequestration. IGCC offers the potential to convert coal to gas for use in traditional gas-fired power plants, simultaneously producing a concentrated stream of CO2 that can be compressed and stored in deep underground geological formations, resulting in near zero carbon emissions.
Stanwell participates in several Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) and industry development groups aimed at reducing carbon emissions. These include:
- The CRC for Greenhouse Gas Technologies focussing on carbon capture and geo sequestration;
- The CRC for Greenhouse Accounting researching ways of measuring carbon emissions;
- The CRC for Coal in Sustainable Development investigating the role and technologies for using coal into the future;
- The Queensland Centre for Low Emission Technologies developing low emission power generation projects in Queensland;
- University of Queensland Research on CO2 storage in coal beds; and
- cane trash harvesting for use in bioenergy plants.
Stanwell is involved in the ZeroGen project in Queensland and also has a portfolio of renewable energy and
Stanwell is a signatory to the Generator Efficiency Standards, a program run through the Australian Greenhouse Office, which obligates (non binding) Stanwell Power Station to maintain efficiency performance relative to plant age. This initiative has seen the assessment and implementation of suitable projects to improve station efficiency and reduce emissions.
In 2001, the organisation received the prestigious Banksia Award for Corporate Environmental Leadership and was a finalist for the award in 2002.
In 2002–03, the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature ranked Stanwell one of Australia’s best two major fossil fuel power companies. The WWF Energy Performance Index considered generators renewable energy investments and the greenhouse efficiency of power stations.
Sources:
http://www.stanwell.com/frame.asp?ContentURL=/community/ourcommittment.asp
http://www.zerogen.com.au/community/stanwell
