Climate
Jenbacher engines at work in Australian coal mines
GE’s Jenbacher gas engines are often a key ingredient, helping our customers generate power from a variety of fuel sources that can reduce environmental impact. In Australia, the Jenbacher gas engine business has made contributions to several of the country’s largest coal mine methane projects, including a power plant commissioned in 2008 operating on Jenbacher coal mine methane gas engines. The methane-rich gas coming from the mine is being used to generate on-site power at Anglo Coal’s Moranbah North mine in the state of Queensland, helping to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas that can escape into the atmosphere.
Through the capture and utilization of mine gas, the Moranbah North project will deliver significant environmental benefits, avoiding the emissions of about 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent per year. The 15-engine, 45.6-megawatt (MW) power plant, contracted by Energy Developments Limited, is designed to contribute to the country’s energy development goals and is accredited under the New South Wales Government Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme.
Australia’s coal industry is focusing on reducing coal mine methane emissions because methane has 21 times the greenhouse-warming potential of carbon dioxide, the gas most closely associated with climate change. As a result, Australia has one of the world’s most commercially advanced coal mine methane gas industries, according to the Australian Coal Association.
The Queensland project demonstrates both the environmental benefits and reliability of Jenbacher engines, as well as their crucial ability to adjust to the mine gas’s fluctuating quality levels.
