About the program
As a 2007 Election Commitment, the Australian Government established the National Low Emissions Coal Initiative (NLECI) to accelerate the development and deployment of low emissions coal technologies and CO2 transport and storage infrastructure to enable major cuts in greenhouse gas emissions from coal usage to be made over time whilst enhancing energy security and maintaining the contribution of coal to Australia’s economic growth.
These Low Emission Coal (LEC) technologies will enable coal, and also gas, to contribute to the Government Clean Energy Future goal of reducing Australia's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80 per cent compared to 2000 levels by 2050.
The research, demonstration and deployment of low-emission coal technologies includes carbon capture and storage (CCS).
Implementation of the NLECI is supported by a variety of stakeholders including industry, the research community and state governments.
To advise the government on the development and deployment of low emissions coal, the National Carbon Capture and Storage (NCCS) Council was created to oversee the implementation of the National Low Emissions Coal Strategy, drafted by its predecessor the National LEC Council and the National Carbon Mapping and Infrastructure Plan drafted by the Carbon Storage Taskforce.
Timeline
The NLECI was established in 2008 and has funding over eight years until 2015.
Grants and funding
Over eight years, the Australian Government is providing funding of $370 million to support the initiative.
This includes:
Advanced Lignite Demonstration Program
Utilising $45 million of NLECI funding for low emission coal demonstration projects in Victoria, the Australian Government has committed to jointly fund the $90 million Advanced Lignite Demonstration Program (ALDP) with the Victorian Government.
This is an initiative that funds the demonstration and deployment of emerging technology to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions intensity of lignite (brown coal) and improve the economically recoverable return from lignite.
The ALDP was jointly announced by the Hon Minister Ferguson AM MP Minister for Resources and Energy and the Hon Michael O’Brien, Victorian Minister for Resources and Energy in the Latrobe Valley on 3 August 2012.
National CO2 Infrastructure Plan
The 2011 National CO2 Infrastructure Plan builds on work funded under the National Low Emissions Coal Initiative and the need for adequate storage to be identified as a priority.
More information
For more information about the National Low Emissions Coal Initiative contact the Clean Energy Division on (02) 6213 7189.
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