Coal industry welcomes funding for low emissions technologies

The Australian Coal Association has welcomed an announcement by the federal government of $125 million funding for two important clean coal and solar energy demonstration projects under the government's Low Emissions Technology Development Fund.

Executive director Mark O'Neill said that support for the development of breakthrough low emissions technologies was the single most important contribution Australia could make towards addressing the global challenge of climate change.

"As a country that generates less than 1.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Australia would always be a "climate taker', no matter how much we cut our own emissions. However, technologies for cleaner fossil energy and renewables developed and demonstrated in Australia would eventually be widely deployed to help other countries cut their own emissions. This is the only way Australia could truly influence the global climate outcome," O'Neill said.

O'Neill said that the black coal industry was looking at a range of low emissions technology projects to support through its own voluntary $300 million COAL21 Fund announced earlier this year.

"Non-commercial demonstration projects require committed partnerships between industry and government in order to be built. We welcome the federal government's commitment to this model and look forward to working with them to make near zero emissions coal-based electricity a reality," he said.

For further information on the COAL21 fund, visit www.australiancoal.com.au and for information on COAL21 agenda and technologies, visit www.coal21.com.au.