Overview
Decreasing greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere is the key environmental issue facing Australia and the world. Carbon dioxide, primarily from the combustion of fossil fuels for energy, is the most common greenhouse gas emitted by human activities and the one causing most adverse impact on climate.
Emission reduction will require a full suite of responses: increased use of renewable energy, greater energy efficiency, fuel switching, and increased sequestration of carbon dioxide away from the atmosphere, particularly capture and geological storage of carbon dioxide.
The CO2CRC is one of the world's leading collaborative research organisations focused on carbon dioxide capture and geological storage (CCS), or geosequestration, to reduce emissions to the atmosphere of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Through the Centre, more than 100 researchers in Australia and New Zealand are collaborating to develop safe and economical CCS technologies that will make deep cuts in Australia's greenhouse gas emissions.
The CO2CRC works through three main research programs:
- Capture of CO2, through which scientists research, develop and aim to demonstrate technologies that will significantly reduce the costs of capturing CO2.
- Storage of CO2, through which researchers in both the laboratory and through the CO2CRC Otway Project site are developing more accurate models of - the geological structure and formation fluids of potential storage sites, and how those sites will respond to injection of CO2.
- Facilitating deployment of CCS, through which research and activities that cover cross-cutting issues such as economics, risk assessment and communicating CCS.
CO2CRC activities include:
- undertaking leading research into and development of technologies for carbon dioxide capture and geological storage;
- decreasing commercial risks by demonstrating the practical application of carbon dioxide capture and storage technologies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions;
- developing new economically and environmentally sustainable opportunities for decreasing carbon dioxide emissions by assessing the scope for the application carbon dioxide capture and storage in a range of different geographical, technical, and commercial settings in Australia, New Zealand, and elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region;
- contributing to the development and global uptake of carbon dioxide capture and storage technologies by participating in international programs and collaborating with leading researchers and research groups globally;
- strengthening the uptake of carbon dioxide capture and storage through technology transfer and developing new commercial opportunities based on CO2CRC intellectual property; and meeting the needs of industry and government for quality graduates and well-trained staff by providing excellent education and training in greenhouse gas technologies.
