Western Australia at the forefront of international carbon research

A new national research and development facility launched in Perth last week will play a critical role in reducing Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions by answering the key questions surrounding the storage of commercial-scale carbon dioxide (CO₂).

The National Geosequestration Laboratory (NGL), based at the Australian Resources Research Centre, is a collaboration between CSIRO, the University of Western Australia and Curtin University.

It will conduct research to support the design and implementation of commercial-scale CO₂ storage programs, such as Western Australia’s South West Hub Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Flagship project.

Launching the project, the Minister for Science and Research, Senator Chris Evans, said the NGL will be one of the most significant international centres for research, training and technology development for the global resources sector.

“Effective carbon capture and storage technologies are key to securing Australia’s clean energy future and reducing global warming,” Senator Evans said.

“The commercial use of carbon capture and storage technologies is expected to drive significant emissions reductions in Australia’s electricity generation sector.

“The NGL will provide critical research to develop innovative solutions to minimise any risk associated with the long-term storage of CO₂.”

Lead agency CSIRO received $48.4 million from the federal government’s Education Investment Fund for the project.

The NGL provides opportunities for large-scale collaboration on a local, national and international scale between government, industry and the community, and will be a significant drawcard for attracting international research talent and cooperation.

“By strengthening partnerships between industry, government and the global research community, we will secure genuine sustainability and the best results,” Senator Evans said.

The NGL will support projects under the $1.68 billion CCS Flagships program, a key component of the Gillard government’s Clean Energy Future package.

The program promotes the wider use of CCS technologies to capture CO₂ emissions from industrial processes and safely store CO₂ underground in stable geological formations.