The good oil on greenhouse gas
Queensland power station and James Cook Uni work together on algae-based biofuelAs calls to replace aging brown coal-fired power stations such as Hazelwood in Victoria's LaTrobe Valley grow more vocal, a new project by the Advanced Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre, MBD Energy Ltd and James Cook University could revolutionalise the way in which greenhouse gas emissions are dealt with.
The environmentally friendly technology, already under trial at Tarong Power Station in Queensland, uses a special strain of algae to consume large quantities of greenhouse gas, converting it into usable products including bio-oil (bio-diesel) and livestock feed.
It's hoped research from the innovative $10 million project could extend the life of so-called 'dirty' power generators like Hazelwood, providing both on-going employment and promoting a more responsible environmental approach.
The new project has been welcomed by Innovation Minister, Senator Kim Carr, who said the benefits of biological reprocessing of the carbon produced in power generation are obvious.
"Development of a one-hectare pilot project at the Tarong Power Station will capture 700 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year," said Senator Carr.
"It could lead to an 80 hectare site consuming over 70,000 tonnes of emissions and producing 11 million litres of oil and 25,000 tonnes of feedstock.
"In the process, the algae double their biomass every 24 hours and allow the waste water in which they are grown to be recycled.
"The researchers at James Cook University have a national and international reputation as leaders in the field and this project will advance our understanding of the algal synthesis process that makes this technology work.
"These are exciting projects and will help pave the way for biological carbon collection on a much larger scale."
The project will support research and commercialisation activities under the Cooperative Research Centre's next-generation technologies research program.
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