[Greens-Media] MARK PARNELL MLC: CO2 dump a pipe dream

[Greens]

Media Release
14 June 2007

CO2 dump a pipe dream

	
Greens MLC Mark Parnell has criticised the backers of a carbon
sequestration demonstration project, described in today's Advertiser
lead article "Carbon Tank for Outback", for spreading the dangerous myth
that so-called 'clean coal' is just around the corner.

Mark Parnell said "Demonstrating that you can pump carbon dioxide
underground is the easy bit, the challenge is reducing the cost of
separating the C02 in the first place. That is not going to be
demonstrated in SA - it has to happen at the coal power stations and
factories in other states that produce the C02, and is still at least a
decade away."

"For years governments have been saying to us we need to Reduce, Re-use
and Recycle our waste before we dump it.  This plan is just a glorified
dump for our C02 pollution - what about the other 3 R's?

"The so-called 'clean coal' technologies are unproven, energy-hungry and
expensive and, according to the most positive international projections,
will not be able to play a role in the immediate emissions reductions we
need if we are to avoid 2 degrees warming and prevent runaway climate
change.

"While it remains to be seen whether burying coal's pollution can be
demonstrated to be safe, sustainable and economically viable, the Greens
believe taxpayers' funding research should be directed towards the young
and under-funded renewable energy, energy efficiency and biofuels
sectors.

"Large C02 producers have been experts at privatising profits and
socialising the costs of their business. Instead of taxpayers' funds,
the corporations themselves should be investing their own massive
profits into working out whether their preferred solution is real.

"On the other hand, the renewable energy industry faces enormous
barriers to entry in a market dominated by entrenched fossil fuels.
There is a great opportunity to put serious resources there, where they
can make a real impact fast.  

"For example, Origin Energy needed only about $100million to scale up
their solar SLIVER cell manufacturing plant in Adelaide and make it
commercial. Instead they may be forced to follow so many other
innovators offshore," he said.

 
For further comment contact Craig Wilkins on 0434 007 893

	
 
 


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