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Bluewaters Power Station

Last modified: 2011-01-18T18:30:02+01:00

Brief description:

Bluewaters Power Station: Read more; Capture Method:
Not decided
Capture Technology:

Capital cost:
A$800 million
Financial support:
finsup
--> Volume:
tonnes; -33.3321417722 116.228785515

Comments

Griffin Energy has stated that the Bluewaters Power Station Expansion project will be capable of adopting carbon capture technology in the future, once this developing technology becomes commercially viable in Western Australia.

Facts:

Country:

Australia

Project type: Capture Storage

Scale: Large

Objective:

To add two new coal-fired generating units, and provide up to 15% bio-mass co-firing

Status: Identified

Capital cost: A$800 million

Year of operation not defined

Industry: Coal Power Plant

MW capacity:

not defined

Capture method: Not decided

New or retrofit:

Retrofit

Transport of CO2 by:

none

Type of storage:

Aquifers

Blluewaters Power Station

Griffin Energy plans to expand its Bluewaters power station near Collie in Western Australia from two to four generating units, increasing its capacity to around 830MW. Its first two units – Bluewaters I and II – are now online, and plans for two new coal-fired, base-load generators, each capable of producing 208MW, are at the public consultation and environmental approval stage.

In its greenhouse gas management plan (July 2009) for the plant’s expansion, Griffin gave a commitment to research options for CCS. The company also said it would design the generating units to be carbon capture ready, although it has not outlined specific plans for CCS at the plant. However, it said it was likely to be a joint facility with other CO2 emitters in the Collie region.

The company aims to complete Bluewaters III and IV by 2013 and 2015, respectively. Its preferred fuel for the two new units is subcritical pulverized coal.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) report in March 2010 on the plant expansion expressed concern that Griffin had not adequately secured land for a carbon capture plant in the future, and that it had not confirmed that the Lower Lesueur Formation and the Gage Sandstone geological formations could be used to store all CO2 from the entire lifespan of the expansion. It believes more research is needed into these potential storage sites.

At present, emission trading is being considered as a key mechanism for trying to achieve reductions in emissions.