CITIZEN POWER ALLIANCE

The CSIRO has achieved a major breakthrough for Australia by capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from power station flue gases, its energy technology chief says.

Trapping CO2 is a significant stage in the global quest to prevent greenhouse gases amassing in the upper atmosphere and generating global warming.

The landmark was achieved at the post-combustion-capture (PCC) pilot plant at Loy Yang Power Station in Victoria's Latrobe Valley.

CSIRO energy technology chief Dr David Brockway said the milestone followed the Garnaut report's recognition that Australia had an important role to play in developing low emission coal technologies such as PCC.

"PCC uses a liquid to capture CO2 from power station flue gases and can potentially reduce CO2 emissions from existing and future coal-fired power stations by more than 85%," he said in a statement.

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