1. Riding the Innovation Wave - The Hunter’s opportunity to provide sustainable energy solutions to the global economy
James McGregor
Energy Systems Manager
CSIRO Division of Energy Technology
15th June 2011

2. Overview The Next Innovation Wave Megatrends
Enabling Technology Snapshot
Solar thermal power
Carbon capture and storage
Smart grids
The Opportunity for the Hunter Region

3. Kondratieff Cycles

4. Megatrends More from less – a world of limited resources
A personal touch – personalisation of products and services
Divergent demographics – older, hungry and more demanding
On the move – Urbanising and increased mobility
iWorld – digital and natural convergence

5. International electricity generation – CP-Low
Source: CSIRO projection

6. Enabling Technologies – solving the energy puzzle

7. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
CSIRO Research Activities
CAPTURE
TRANSPORT
STORAGE
Post-combustion capture (new/retrofit)
Oxyfuel combustion capture (new/retrofit)
Pre-combustion capture (new)

8. Carbon Capture - Post Combustion Capture
Boiler
Generator
Pure CO2
Electricity
Low CO2 flue gas
CO2
C.W.
Coal
Absorber
Stripper
C.W.
Flue gas pretreatment
Fly-ash
C.W.
Flue Gas
C.W.
Reboiler
This is schematic of a pf plant with a CO2 capture plant added to the flue gas outlet.  This is post combustion capture (PCC).
In this configuration, the CO2 is extracted from the flue gas (about 13-15% of the flue gas is CO2, the rest is nitrogen from the combustion air) using a specially designed solvent.
The solvent is regenerated and sent round the loop again.
The extracted, pure CO2 is compresses, liquefied and piped off for sequestration.
This is the most flexible of the CCTs as it can be scaled to take up any desired proportion of the CO2 required. 
The drawbacks, are that the operation of the plant requires energy and the overall efficiency is reduced (we have to burn more coal per unit of power produced).
The plant capital cost is also higher.
Benefits
End of pipe technology readily integrated with existing power stations.
Modular design.
Allows for variable CO2 removal.
Research Challenges
High capture cost.
Loss of generation efficiency.
Conventional processes sensitive to O2, SOx and other flue gas constituents.
Large increase in cooling water requirement.

9. PCC Pilot Plant Locations
Gaobeidian Power Station, Beijing
(Operational)
Tarong Power Station, QLD
(Construction phase)
Munmorah Power Station, NSW
(Operational)
Loy Yang Power Station, VIC
(Operational)

10. Solar Thermal Power

11. ASI Foundation Project

12. Solar Brayton Systems
Scalable from micro-turbines up to large gas turbines
Distributed generation option for CSP
Spinning mass reduces the impact of transient output
Can be co-fired with supplementary energy source such as natural gas providing high availability
Only inputs required are air and sun
Large capacities can be met
by clustering individual units 1 2 3 4 4
Slide 12
Solar Tower Project

13. Smart Grids

16. Opportunity for the Hunter RegionUS EU
China
16%
14%
11%
11%
Japan
23%
17% 3%
India 5% 8% 5%
ASEAN 6%
% share GHG 2005
% share Primary Energy demand 2030 (source IEA)

17. The right mix of ingredients
Technological Innovation
Growing demand for sustainable energy solutions
EXTERNAL FACTORS DRIVING CHANGE
Skilled workforce and Industry Capability
Strong international energy market linkages
NEWCASTLE CAPABILITY
Market Opportunities for Sustainable Energy Solutions
Merger of Opportunity and Capability
Newcastle a World Leader in provision of Sustainable Energy Solutions
Economic, social, political, regulatory, and environmental forces
R&D + Education
Capabilities – CSIRO, Newcastle University,
TAFE

18. Conclusion
The coming together of a critical mass of social, economic, and environmental drivers are setting the conditions for a new wave of innovation that has the potential to transform the way we do business.
The Hunter Region has all of the key ingredients of R&D and education capability, business networks, and a skilled workforce to become a global leader in the supply of sustainable energy solutions to the global economy

19. Thank you CSIRO Energy Technology James McGregor
Energy Systems Manager
Phone:
Web:
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