Construction of the Callide oxyfuel project began at the Callide ‘A’ power station near Biloela in September last year.
The $200 million project is breaking new ground in clean coal energy by reportedly being the first in the world to adapt the technology as an add-on fixture to existing coal-fired power stations.
The project uses oxyfuel combustion and carbon capture to enable the gas to be taken to areas where it can be stored deep underground.
Project director Dr Chris Spero says a site at the Denison Trough near Emerald, west of Rockhampton, is one of two options being considered as a storage area.
The other is in the Surat Basin.
Dr Spero says, if successful, the project could eventually be retro-fitted to coal-fired power stations around the world.
He says although it increases the cost of producing electricity, the cost of doing nothing is far greater.
“It is [a] large cost impost but the benefit of it is near-zero emissions into the atmosphere,” he said.
“It’s certainly comparable with alternative technologies and in fact, we believe it is quite a bit cheaper than alternative energies for achieving the same result.”
The project is expected to begin operations next September.
