Australia's leading Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) research organisation CO2CRC has welcomed the Albanese government's decision to award new greenhouse gas permits in WA and the NT, saying CCUS stands ready to drive Australia to a lower emissions future.
Resources Minister Madeleine King announced on Wednesday the approval of the first two new offshore greenhouse gas storage (Carbon Capture and Storage, CCUS) sites since 2014.
The permits were granted to the joint venture between INPEX, Woodside Energy and TotalEnergies in the Bonaparte Basin, and Woodside in the Browse Basin, all members of CO2CRC.
Dr Matthias Raab, Chief Executive CO2CRC, said Minister King's announcement at Northern Territory Resources Week reinforced the vital role CCUS has to play in Australia achieving its carbon emissions reduction targets.
"This is a clear signal that the Albanese Government is committed to their target of 43 per cent emissions reduction by 2030. CCUS is a proven, safe, large-scale emission reduction technology that will enable Australia's industry to transition to a net-zero future," Dr Raab said.
"We are delighted that Minister King has acknowledged that CCUS has a substantial role to play in driving Australia towards a lower emissions future. CCUS is a very significant option for certain industries to drive down their emissions permanently and immediately at a competitive cost.
"Geological storage of carbon dioxide allows emission abatement at scale. It is immediate and permanent and we are building technology for very large emission reductions.
"Australia is well positioned to be at the forefront of the global scale-up of CCUS technologies. It has some of the world's best deep sedimentary basins in which to store carbon dioxide, an internationally recognised resources industry, ready access to the latest CCUS technologies, expertise, and globally renowned researchers.
"CO2CRC congratulates its industry member companies Woodside Energy, TotalEnergies, and INPEX on the award of the Greenhouse Gas Permits and echoes Minster King's comments that it is time to put the talk of CCUS into action" he said.
CO2CRC operates the Otway International Test Centre in southwest Victoria, where it has safely and permanently stored and monitored carbon dioxide in a variety of rock formations for more than a decade. The research is done in collaboration with leading national and international researchers alongside industry partners to accelerate commercial technology solutions.
CO2CRC is also playing an important role in other low emissions technology solutions. An initial Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS) study, co-led by CO2CRC and CSIRO, has investigated key technical issues, including fundamental hydrogen storage processes, hydrogen withdrawal effectiveness and integration of UHS with hydrogen production and downstream distribution.
UHS in geological formations can provide the necessary capacity to balance seasonal fluctuations in supply and demand and provide continuity in renewable energy supply.
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