$16m boost for clean coal technology welcomed

25 August 2009

Monash University has welcomed additional investment in clean coal technology research in Victoria.

State Energy and Resources Minister Peter Batchelor today announced $16 million in funding for new clean coal research and the establishment of a new organisation, Brown Coal Innovation Australia (BCIA), while visiting the Clayton campus of Monash University.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Ed Bryne welcomed the injection of funding into a research field of critical importance to the state.

“As a university at the forefront of clean coal technology, Monash University welcomes today’s announcement. This funding will strengthen links between government, industry and researchers and enhances Victoria’s reputation as a state focused on solutions founded on cutting-edge research.

“Monash University is committed to undertaking research that changes people’s lives for the better, with a focus on real, practical outcomes not only for Victoria but for the world,” Professor Byrne said.

“Fostering research in clean coal technology will not only boost knowledge in this vital area, it will ensure we have a new generation of workers and technicians with the skills needed to make a clean and sustainable coal industry a reality.”

Monash has already made a strong contribution to the burgeoning area of clean coal, the Vice- Chancellor said. University researchers have undertaken nine state government-funded projects, valued at $8 million, under the Energy Technology Innovation Strategy (ETIS). These projects include:

• Oxy-fuel combustion – a process that leads to more efficient combustion, less emissions and the capturing of emissions for sequestration storage;

• Coal gasification technology – the use of lignite to improve separation of sludge solid from municipal waste treatment plants and paper mills; and

• Pre-combustion carbon dioxide capture technologies.

The University also announced it would fund two new scholarships in the area of brown coal research.

Monash Faculty of Engineering Dean Professor Tam Sridhar said the scholarships “confirmed the University’s commitment to innovative, solution-focused research and development, and to fostering a collaborative relationship with industry.”

"Monash has distinguished itself as a driver of energy innovation in Victoria and as a provider of graduates who are research-literate and equipped for industry," Professor Sridhar said.