Low Emission Technology Australia (LETA) is urging the Federal and Queensland Governments to recognise the vital role of technology in empowering Australia to meet its emission reduction responsibilities, while also supporting the continuation of critical industries and hundreds of thousands of Australian jobs.
The deployment of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology is essential in order to meet Australia’s target of net zero emissions by 2050. CCS is an established and proven technology that is currently being used to abate millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) every year at sites around the world, including projects in Western Australia, Victoria, and South Australia.
CCS has the potential to capture more than 95 per cent of CO2 emitted from industrial facilities and power stations and prevent it from being released into the atmosphere. Once the CO2 is captured it can either be transported to an injection site and stored permanently underground in geological formations or repurposed by industry.
Around the world, Governments, including in the US, UK and EU, are investing billions of dollars in CCS technologies to support decarbonisation efforts of large critical industries like steel, cement and power generation and ensure jobs and industry do not go offshore. Australia cannot afford to be left behind when it comes to supporting the adoption of this vital technology.
Despite the opportunity that this globally recognised, scientifically proven technology provides, its deployment in Australia is currently under threat with ongoing action against a proposed test project that Glencore is developing in Queensland – the Carbon Transport and Storage Corporation (CTSCo) project. LETA CEO Mark McCallum is urging Government to act now to ensure that Australia does not miss the opportunity to reduce and remove emissions from power generation, mining, processing and manufacturing.
“It is crucial that the CTSCo project is allowed to move forward. CCS is an essential component of Australia’s net zero equation and we are at risk of letting politics get in the way.
“Deployment of CCS, including through the CTSCo project, is the key to reducing emissions without abandoning the critical industries that are the backbone of Australia’s economy and deliver hundreds of thousands of Australian jobs.
“The CTSCo project has been subject to extensive and rigorous environmental assessment, through a detailed and public Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process.
“The project has been independently reviewed by Australian and global experts , including the Australian Government Independent Expert Scientific Committee (IESC), the Queensland Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment (OGIA) and CSIRO who concluded that any impacts would be local and minor.
“Inflammatory claims have been made about safety concerns and the project’s potential to damage the agricultural sector. These claims have been designed to scare, they are not rooted in fact and I am yet to see one page, one sentence, of independent scientific evidence that supports them. “We can’t let opinions or hearsay on critical scientifically proven emission reduction technologies stand in the way of allowing Australia to meet its net zero goal, all while protecting critical Australian industries and thousands of Australian jobs.”
“If the CTSCo project does not go ahead then Australia will effectively be closing the door on CCS technology and turning its back on the future for some of the critical industries that we rely on every day.
“LETA has been investing in low emissions technologies, including the CTSCo Project, for more than a decade to significantly reduce emissions and support the transition to a low emission global economy.
“Like any technology, CCS deployment will take time, resources, commitment and strong leadership to develop and deploy at commercial scale, and each new generation of these technologies lowers the cost and increases its effectiveness. Government plays a critical role to enable this technology development
and deployment.”
LETA remains committed to collaborating with government, industry, and our international trading partners to further explore new technologies that will support Australia to reach net zero while ensuring a future for the critical industries that support Australian jobs and households every day.
ENDS