The Federal Government has launched the new $1.1 million Australia-China Clean Coal Technology Partnership Fund, aimed at accelerating the deployment of low emissions coal technology to reduce emissions from coal-fired power stations.

 

The Fund is an initiative of the Australia-China Joint Coordination Group on Clean Coal Technology (JCG), which is supported by $20 million in funding from the Australian Government’s National Low Emissions Coal Initiative.

 

Federal Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson, described the fund as a step towards deepening the cooperation between Australia and China to develop low emissions coal technologies, such as post-combustion capture, oxy-fuel combustion and gasification.

 

“Given Australia is the largest coal exporter in the world and China comprises half of global coal consumption, it is vital that we work together to develop technologies that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with coal.

 

The JCG Partnership Fund will focus on strengthening Australia and China collaborative ties by offering research and industry organisations support to provide exchanges, secondments, workshops and symposiums in the field of in low-emissions coal technology development.

 

The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) will manage the Fund and now invites applications from Australian and Chinese research and industry representatives to apply for funding to support collaborative low emission coal initiatives.