Representatives from BP Australia and the University of New South Wales' Centre for Energy and Environmental Markets (CEEM) will be among those attending the Canberra meeting.
BP's UK-based senior advisor on carbon dioxide storage, Tony Espie, will talk about carbon storage projects in his country, while Australian Education, Science and Training Minister Julie Bishop will ask the HoR's Science and Innovations Committee to look into and report on the science and application of geosequestration technology in Australia.
More specifically, the committee will be asked to investigate:
· The science underpinning geosequestration technology;
· The potential environmental and economic benefits and risks of such technology;
· The skill base in Australia to advance the science of geosequestration technology;
· Regulatory and approval issues governing geosequestration technology and trials; and
· How to best position Australian industry to capture possible market applications.
Central to the discussions will be the potential of geosequestration to help lower greenhouse gas emissions, the HoR said in a release.
CEEM, which supports a range of power generation options, argues that geosequestration has yet to be proven on a fully integrated large scale. The centre is also uncertain about costs and the commercial viability of retrofitting existing power plants.
On the other hand, BP Australia believes this country has the opportunity to become a world leader in carbon capture and storage technologies. However, it argues that a market mechanism is needed to drive the application of geosequestration and other low or zero emission technologies.
In addition, the company, which is involved in geosequestration technologies as part of enhanced oil recovery, believes that industry needs a clear legislative framework that addresses risk management and potential liabilities.
Further details on the public hearing, including the terms of reference, committee members and how to make submissions can be seen on the committee's website at: http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/scin/geosequestration/index.htm or by contacting the committee secretariat on (02) 6277 4150 or emailing: scin.reps@aph.gov.au
