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The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development (CCSD) recently hosted a gathering of industry figures and scientists in Brisbane to discuss the emerging "new coal" industry.
According to centre CEO Frank van Schagen, instead of ringing the industry's death knell, public concern over climate change has triggered a spate of innovation.
Van Schagen said that in addition to a cleaner environment, new coal technologies would lead to greater national energy efficiency, enhanced security and new industrial opportunities.
Australian coal technologies are becoming an important export commodity, especially in the Chinese energy market, where the technology could minimise the impact of that country's largely coal-fired energy production.
Presenters highlighted the international cooperation between research organisations and industry.
Environmental protection technologies used to prevent coal ash from being released into the atmosphere have created a significant storage and disposal problem for the coal energy industry, which has tried to turn the waste into a commodity by using it in concreting and road works.
The CCSD has discovered that coal ash could find a new application as a slow-release fertiliser for Australia's $30 billion agricultural industries, according to CCSD researcher Alex Elliott.
Zeolites – atomic crystalline cages that can physically carry smaller particles – can be specially tailored from coal ash and used as carriers for essential plant nutrients, releasing them into the soil as the plants need them, said Elliott.
The developing technique could provide a solution for part of the 12 million tonnes of Australian waste fly-ash currently in storage while enhancing coal's new "green" image.
Australia's feasibility study on a first-of-type demonstration for oxygen-fired pulverised fuel combustion was progressing well, said CCSD project leader Dr Chris Spero.
The technology combines recycled flue gas with pure oxygen to provide options that allow the capture and storage of CO2.
Dr Nsakala ya Nsakala, from power and rail specialist ALSTOM, presented on the gains in efficiency and CO2 reductions that would be obtained by moving to ultra-super-critical power generation technology.
ALSTOM is also making progress in developing oxy-fired circulating fluidised bed technology, now ready for demonstration, and is moving towards advanced CO2 capture systems in the longer term.
Presenters said that regulatory uncertainty at both domestic and international levels was deterring industry from making the costly investment in developing coal technologies.
Near-zero emissions technology would not happen without a regulatory environment – with provision for carbon taxes, trading or special incentives – to overcome the initial cost disadvantage and risks associated with "new coal" technology.
