Back to Projects database

Loy Yang PCC Project

Brief description:

Loy Yang PCC Project: Read more; Capture Method:
Post-combustion
Capture Technology:
Amine Ammonia Membrane
Capital cost:
A$5 million
Financial support:
finsup
--> Volume:
1000 tonnes per year tonnes; -38.21114 146.474087

Facts:

Main developer: CSIRO

Country: Australia

Project type: Capture

Scale: Small

Objective:

The pilot plant is currently testing a range of new and existing solvents for capturing CO2 from brown coal flue gases

Status: Operative

Capital cost: A$5 million

Financal support:
ETIS
Brown Coal Innovation Australia
Global CCS Institute

Year of operation 2008

Industry: Coal Power Plant

Capture method: Post-combustion

Capture technology: Amine Ammonia Membrane

New or retrofit: Retrofit

Transport of CO2 by: none

Type of storage: Not decided

Volume: 1000 tonnes per year tonnes/CO2

Loy Yang pilot

In July 2008, Australia’s national science agency CSIRO announced the successful operation of the country’s first post-combustion CO2 capture pilot plant at Loy Yang A power station in Latrobe Valley, Victoria.

The 10.5 metre-high pilot plant has been designed to capture up to 1000 tonnes of CO2 a year from the facility’s flue gases. The project is part of the Latrobe Valley Post Combustion Capture Project, with the Loy Yang component being supported by funding of A$2.5 million from the Victorian government’s Energy Technology Innovation Strategy (ETIS). The pilot plant is currently testing a range of new and existing solvents for capturing CO2 from brown coal flue gases.

Latrobe Valley Post Combustion Capture Project

This research project, focused on Latrobe Valley in Victoria, is exploring commercially viable methods of reducing CO2 emissions at brown coal-fired plants – particularly in the state of Victoria and with a focus on post combustion. CO2CRC, including researchers from Melbourne and Monash universities, Loy Yang Power, International Power and national science agency CSIRO are working together on seven linked research, plant-testing and evaluation schemes. The project is based at two power plants - Loy Yang A, operated by Loy Yang Power, and International Power’s Hazelwood facility.

In April 20121, CSIRO reported good results from PCC trials at Loy Yang, and also at Tarong power plant in Queensland. The agency says results mean the technology is now "technically available to the industry", although commentators warn that commercial-scale deployment is still some way off.

Financing

Funding of A$ 2.5 million came from the Victorian government’s ETIS fund. WorleyParsons - which provides maintenance services at Loy Yang A - was awarded A$226,000 by the Global CCS Institute in January 2012 to analyse the impact of post-combustion capture on the existing plant, as part of research to progress commercial-scale use of the technology (see ZERO news link below).