Major Study Reports Clean Coal Technology 78% More Expensive

Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute's study of world's carbon capture and storage projects found that absent a high carbon price existed, the installation of clean coal technology in power generation would become 78 percent more costly than conventional coal-based power generation, The Age (Melbourne, Australia) reported. According to Professor Richard Hillis, head of the University of Adelaide's Australian School of Petroleum, "it was natural that carbon capture and storage would take some time to develop and that initially it would be expensive." The Australian government is relying on clean coal technology for reducing emissions by electricity producers.

Nick Otter, CEO of the Institute said that "it was crucial for a commercial-scale clean coal project" to be in operation by 2014. He feels that "Governments need to provide short-term incentives to invest, but in the long term there will have to be a long-term framework and that will include things like a carbon price."