AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-2004
Qld: Queensland to encourge geothermal exploration activities
By Nikki Todd, State Political Correspondent
BRISBANE, April 13 AAP - The Queensland government is introducing new legislation to
encourage exploration into renewable energy produced by harnessing power from hot, dry
rocks in the Earth's crust.
The Geothermal Exploration Bill 2004 will be introduced into state parliament next
week in an attempt to boost activity into developing the renewable energy resource and
create jobs.
Activity in the field is already underway in South Australia's Cooper Basin, close
to the Queensland border, and the hottest spot on Earth outside volcanic centres.
Premier Peter Beattie said the new legislation would create a new, clean industry in
south-west Queensland, which is believed to contain more geothermal material than any
other state or territory.
"Queensland is potentially the hot rock capital of Australia," Mr Beattie said.
"These rocks, which are more than 200 degrees centigrade, and less than five kilometres
deep in the Earth's crust, have staggering potential as a power source.
"If the technology stacks up, Queensland could produce enormous quantities of virtually
emission-free energy from steam created when water passes through the hot rocks."
The new bill, which is not expected to have Native Title implications, is designed
to provide certainty to industry to invest in exploration.
No financial incentives will be offered to encourage exploration.
The new legislation will benefit Brisbane-listed company Geodynamics Ltd, which currently
operates a Hot Dry Rocks (HDR) geothermal power project in the Cooper Basin using water
to harness heat from the Earth's surface.
The company has applied for a permit to explore for geothermal energy in the Eromanga
Basin in south-west Queensland.
Geodynamics today closed up two cents, or 2.2 per cent, at 93 cents.
AAP nt/ch/hu/jlw
KEYWORD: HOTROCKS
2004 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.
No comments:
Post a Comment