12 April 2007
Monash University is a major beneficiary of grants for brown coal research announced by the Victorian Government today.
Monash University is involved in 9 research and development projects in conjunction with the power generation industry and the CSIRO valued at more than $8 million dollars under the Energy Technology Innovation Strategy (ETIS).
Monash University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Richard Larkins welcomed the funding announcement, saying it was confirmation of the University's strong contribution to brown coal research.
"Monash University has been at the forefront of clean coal technology since the 1970s and today remains committed to a role in climate change solutions and the effective utilisation of Victoria's valuable brown coal resource," Professor Larkins said.
"Monash's Gippsland campus, located close to Victoria's massive brown coal deposits, combined with a strong Clayton engineering base, means the University is ideally placed to provide ongoing leadership.
"Today's announcement is also an important step towards establishing the Gippsland campus as an important node of engineering research into clean coal technology."
Monash University is leading in three of the projects and participating in another six.
Monash Engineering Professor Chun-Zhu Li is leading a $2.6 million project to look at oxy-fuel combustion, which leads to a more efficient combustion process and less emissions for brown coal fired power stations and also capture emissions for sequestration storage.
Monash is also leading a $600,000 project to investigate the key technical feasibility of new coal gasification technology. A $1 million project will investigate the use of lignite to improve separation of sludge solid from municipal water treatment plants and pulp and paper mills.
Projects Monash University researchers are involved with include:
- a $4.1 million project with the Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC ) to test pre-combustion carbon dioxide capture technologies in power generation;
- a $1.2m project with CSIRO Minerals to assess future operational requirements of brown coal fired power stations;
- a $1.3m project with HRL Technology to improve combustion efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions from the combustion of brown coal;
- a $1.1m project with HRL Technology to improve the knowledge and safer use of advanced materials for power plants;
- a project with HRL technologies valued $1.3m project to look at advanced flaw detection in welds, pitting in tubes and turbine blades in the Latrobe Valley; and
- a project of $5.6 million with Loy Yang Power to research technology options in the post-combustion capture of CO2 from both Loy Yang A and Hazelwood power stations.
"Our goal is to contribute to cutting edge research and development into clean coal technology, and also meet the continuing demand for graduate students skilled in the processes that will secure Victoria's and Australia's sustainable energy future," Professor Larkins said.
For further information contact Ms Samantha Blair, Media Communications, on +61 3 9905 9315 or 0439 013 951.
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