Using Waste Coal Mine Gas to Generate Electricity - EDL
GREENHOUSE GAS ABATEMENT PROGRAM PROJECT
Project management: Energy Developments Limited (EDL)
Project details:
- The aim of the EDL project was to deliver effective greenhouse gas abatement through utilisation of waste coal mine methane gas for power generation.
- Methane is a significant contributor to the greenhouse effect with a global warming potential 21 times greater than carbon dioxide. Methane from coal mining accounts for 3.4 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions in Australia. Normally methane is vented to the atmosphere for safety, but now power stations can use the methane as an energy source (natural gas contains around 90 per cent methane).
- EDL designed, built, and is operating the waste coal mine gas power station at the Grasstree coal mine, German Creek, in Central Queensland's Bowen Basin.
- The coal mine at German Creek is operated by Anglo Coal (Capcoal Management) Pty Ltd.
- EDL announced the opening of the power generation facility in March 2007.
GGAP funding: $15.47 million
Total project cost: $43 million
Environmental achievements:
- Expected greenhouse gas abatement:
Total abatement of 5.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent is expected in the Kyoto commitment period 2008 to 2012. - Displacement of coal fuelled electricity:
Use of methane offsets traditional coal fuel generated power. The electricity generated from the power station is supplied directly to the energy distribution system and is sufficient to power about 30,478 homes per year.
Technical summary:
Coal mine methane gas is released and collected within the Grasstree Mine. The gas is delivered to the power station through a pipeline. The gas is filtered and "mixed" to smooth out changes in composition, then distributed to combustion engines. The electrical output is stepped up in transformers at the site and transmitted to the local grid.
The power station, built adjacent to the existing underground mine ventilation shafts, comprises sixteen 2 MW power generation modules utilising conventional reciprocating gas engines that generate a targeted 240 billion watts per hour of power per annum.
Note: Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e) is the basis for comparing the warming effect of a greenhouse gas as compared to carbon dioxide and is calculated by multiplying the mass of a greenhouse gas by its global warming potential.
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German Creek Power Station
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