Australia's Clean Energy Legislative Package

Gerbilnow and its submission to the Australian Government on the Clean Energy Legislative Package:

Securing a Clean Energy Future: Get the Carbon Technology Right

The up-to-date analysis in Gerbilnow's submission shows that with coal gasification with pre-combustion separation of carbon dioxide:

The cost of end-use energy is unlikely to increase further following the introduction of a carbon price. At a practical level the lowest cost technology available to meet baseload electricity demand is combined cycle gas turbine power stations fuelled with gasified coal.

It is recommended that the coal industry's relationship with Australian power stations be restructured so that it is an autonomous producer of Synthetic Natural Gas supplying fuel to CCGT baseload power stations, and further, that the coal-to-gas industry be encouraged to develop new clean products and markets...

Read a copy of Gerbilnow's submission on the Clean Energy Legislative Package.

Illinois has demonstrated that with Siemens AG technology, it is practical and commercially attractive for coal to provide clean ways to meet energy needs.

Quinn signs bill for Chicago coal-to-gas plant by Alex Keefe , July 13, 2011 The so-called "coal gasification" plant will turn Illinois coal and refinery waste into a natural gas substitute, without having to burn the coal. Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn originally vetoed the project, saying it would jack up consumer energy prices. But he says the new plan has been revamped. "Natural gas that's gonna be produced here will be purchased by our four major natural gas companies," Quinn said. "And there are rate caps to protect consumers." Quinn defended the project as a clean way to meet the state's energy needs.

Public engagement on the Package
The Government published drafts of key bills in the Package on Thursday, 28 July 2011, along with commentaries to explain them. These bills implement the detailed policy announced on 10 July 2011.

Submissions on the Package were to be sent to the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency until 5pm on Monday, 22 August 2011. Before then, the Department met with stakeholders and legal experts to discuss the draft bills.

The Government will consider the views it received on the drafting of the bills before they are introduced into the Parliament.
Why has the Government released these bills as exposure drafts?
The draft bills that have been released cover the way that the carbon pricing mechanism will work. The Government wants to ensure that the detailed drafting is considered publicly before the Package is finalised and introduced into the Parliament.

Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency Greg Combet said the Government is committed to supporting jobs as the economy is transformed.