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Glencore's Australia carbon storage task obstructed since of groundwater risk

A Glencore carbon capture and storage task in eastern Australia can not proceed because it might irreversibly harm groundwater used by farmers, a state federal government said on Friday, adding that it would likewise block similar jobs.

Global commodities giant Glencore said the decision by Queensland was the result of misinformation and political opportunism and had efficiently outlawed carbon capture and storage tasks in the state.

The business's pilot job aimed to pump 330,000 metric tons of melted carbon dioxide from a coal-fired power plant in southern Queensland into an aquifer 2.3 km (1.4 miles). underground.

The task is not appropriate to continue due to potential. impacts on groundwater resources, the state's environment. department said in a declaration.

Farm groups had actually objected that it risked poisoning part of. the Great Artesian Basin, a network of groundwater deposits. covering much of eastern Australia, supporting agriculture and. communities.

The proposed site was not a contained aquifer and the carbon. dioxide might migrate, most likely causing irreparable or long-term. modification to groundwater quality and environmental worths, the. environment department stated.

Such modifications could include higher concentrations of. impurities such as chloride, sulphate, lead and arsenic, it. said, including that its choice explained that other carbon. storage jobs in the Great Artesian Basin would not be. feasible.

DISSATISFYING

Federal governments including Australia's say carbon capture and. storage (CCS) is required to attain the world's net-zero objectives. and include worldwide warming. Its rollout has actually been sluggish however is. speeding up.

Glencore said its proposal was clinically robust,. targeted a location with unused, low-quality groundwater and the. co2 was extremely unlikely to spread out considerably.

The decision is disappointing and comes after a damaging. false information project and political opportunism, the company. said in a statement.

The Queensland federal government has actually now successfully banned carbon. capture and storage jobs in Queensland, it stated. It's now. as much as the Queensland government to describe how it's going to. meet its enthusiastic emissions reductions targets.

Asked if it would appeal the choice, a business spokesperson. stated that Glencore will examine the decision and consider its. options.

The task would have recorded 2% of the emissions of the. Millmerran plant power plant however could eventually have actually stored. 90%, the company stated.

Queensland farm group AgForce applauded the choice but stated. more protection was required for the basin and it would push for. more federal examination for jobs like Glencore's.

Australia has one active CCS project, Chevron's. Gorgon, on an island off the northwest coast. 2 more are under. building and construction and 14 are in advancement, according to the Global. CCS Institute. A lot of target offshore storage.

Glencore's project is handled by a subsidiary called Carbon. Transportation and Storage Corporation (CTSCo). Japan's Marubeni Corp. and J-POWER each committed A$ 10 million to it. in 2022.

(source: Reuters)