Description
With current high oil prices and the forecast of Australia`s energy consumption to increase by about 2% a year in the next 25 years, there is the need of further developing alternative fuels and encourage the production of liquid fuels from gas fields and coalfieds.
This has led to a renew interest in coal as an alternative feedstock for the production of transport fuels and chemicals. By using coal conversion technologies, such as coal-to-liquids, the vast coal resources in Australia could become an important alternative to crude oil.
In April 2009 the Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson AM MP, has launched the world`s first coal-to-liquids demonstration plant to use Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) technology. Australia is coal and gas rich, with hundreds of years of reserves. Technologies that convert coal and gas to ultra-clean diesel and jet fuel have the potential to replace Australia`s declining oil reserves and make us self-sufficient in liquid transport fuels.
The Australian Government is encouraging the development of coal-to-liquids in Australia through its election commitment to use the $500 million National Low Emissions Coal Fund to support projects generating minimal carbon emissions which utilise Australia s extensive coal resources.
The 5th annual Coal to Liquids and Gas to Liquids Conference will explore the prospects for UCG, coal liquefaction, commercial advantages, environmental issues and a review of some of the projects in Australia and overseas.An update on GTL will also be included.
