Premier says WA ‘the ideal place’ to store world’s emissions
West Australian Premier Roger Cook says his state is the ideal place to store much of the world’s carbon emissions, and must capitalise on its natural advantages to become a global carbon storage hub.
WA’s move to consider importing and storing carbon emissions from other nations was supported by Woodside chief executive Meg O’Neill on Friday, who said major Asian customers were already flagging interest in carbon capture and storage (CCS) in Australia.
“When I go talk to LNG customers in Japan and Korea … they want to talk about what the future might hold and that includes things like hydrogen, ammonia and CCS in Australia for their emissions,” she said.
WA Premier Roger Cook says WA’s emissions are likely to increase. WAtoday
“It’s part of our own decarbonisation strategy, helping decarbonise our own industry, but secondly, being available for a service to our trade partners in the region.”
A CSIRO and Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute study commissioned by the WA LNG Jobs Taskforce was released on Friday and estimated progressing carbon capture hubs across the state could inject tens of billions of dollars into the economy.
Mr Cook referenced the study in an address to an energy summit in Perth, where he said WA was “up to its guts” in the decarbonisation journey, and confirmed the state would spend $4 million investigating carbon sequestration.
“We have unique geological formations which makes Western Australia an ideal place for a carbon capture, utilisation and sequestration hub for the globe. We want to see Western Australia benefit,” he said.
Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill talking to reporters in Sydney on Wednesday. Louie Douvis
Mr Cook said while WA’s emissions would continue to rise in coming years due to
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