About the program
Australian Government established the National Low Emissions Coal Initiative (NLECI) to accelerate the development and deployment of technologies to reduce emissions from coal use.
These technologies will enable coal to make a major contribution to reducing Australia's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80 per cent of 2000 levels by 2050.
The focus of NLECI is research, demonstration and deployment of low-emission coal technologies involving carbon capture and storage (CCS).
Implementation of the NLECI is supported by a variety of stakeholders.
Timeline
The NLECI was established in 2008 and has funding over eight years until 2015.
Grants and funding
Over eight years, the Australian Government will provide funding of $370 million to support the initiative.
This includes:
- $75 million for the Australian National Low emission Coal Research and Development agency
- $50 million for the National Carbon Mapping and Infrastructure Plan
- $50 million for the Callide oxyfuel combustion project
- $20 million for the Australia-China Joint Coordination Group on Clean Coal Technology
- $150 million for low emissions coal demonstration projects in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
NCCS Council
In November 2010, the Government established the National Carbon Capture and Storage (NCCS) Council. This council was designed to supersede and build upon the work of the National Low Emissions Coal (NLEC) Council and that of the Carbon Storage Taskforce (CSTF).
The NCCS Council membership includes:
- the coal industry
- oil and gas sectors
- coal and gas-fired power generators
- representatives of the research community
- several states
- the Australian Governments.
The NCCS Council will oversee the implementation of the National Low Emissions Coal Strategy and the National Carbon Mapping and Infrastructure Plan developed by the NLEC Council and CSTF.
More information
For more information about the National Low Emissions Coal Initiative contact the Clean Energy Division on (02) 6213 7009.