The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and its partners intend on conducting a A$1 million trial of its Direct Injection Carbon Engine (DICE) in the Latrobe Valley in Victoria, which is the world’s second largest and lowest cost brown coal resource, with the aim of reducing emissions from brown coal-generated electricity by 50% compared to current technology.
Image credit: dice-net.org
According to the media release, DICE involves converting coal or biomass into a water-based slurry or a micronised refined carbon (MRC) that is directly injected into a large specially adapted diesel engine. The fuel burns to produce intense temperature and pressure in the engine, which provides highly efficient power to turn electrical generators.
“Australia has the second largest brown coal resource in the world but current utilisation technologies are carbon intensive so we need to implement cleaner and more efficient ways to generate energy from coal,” said CSIRO Energy Group Executive, Dr Alex Wonhas.
“CSIRO is excited about the potential for DICE to lower power costs, halve carbon dioxide (CO2) intensity and create a new export market for both brown and black coal.”
The project is supported by industry partners including Exergen, Ignite Energy Resources, AGL, MAN Diesel & Turbo and EnergyAustralia.
“The energy sector has long been a lynchpin of our country’s economic prosperity and coal is expected to continue to make an important contribution in decades to come. I believe CSIRO has a critical role to play in supporting industry to minimise the environmental impacts from coal through the application of world leading science,” Dr Wonhas said.
“Thanks to the support of BCIA, we can partner with industry to deliver solutions like DICE that will ensure more efficient and sustainable use of our brown coal reserves and give Australians continued access to affordable and reliable energy supply.”
For more information, visit dice-net.org
