|
Coal in Australia is mined primarily in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. It is used to generate electricity and most of the coal mined in Australia is exported, mostly to eastern Asia. In fiscal year 2013/14, 430.9 million tonnes of coal were mined, and 375.1 million tonnes were exported. Coal provides about 69% of Australia's electricity production. In fiscal year 2008/09, 487 million tonnes of coal was mined, and 261 million tonnes exported.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Australia Mineral Statistics 2009- June Quarter )〕 In 2013, Australia was the world's fifth-largest coal producer, after China, the United States, India, and Indonesia. However, in terms of proportion of production exported, Australia is the world's second largest coal exporter, as it exports roughly 73% of its coal production. Indonesia exports about 87% of its coal production.〔 Coal mining in Australia is often subject to criticism from members of the environmental movement,〔(Coal and Coal Seam Gas ). The Greens NSW. Retrieved on 23 January 2013.〕〔Greens Queensland. (13 April 2010). (Upper Hunter Valley coal mining shows dangers for Queensland ). Media Release. Retrieved on 23 January 2013.〕 due to the release of carbon dioxide during combustion. This criticism is primarily directed at thermal coal, for its connection to coal-fired power stations, with some authors linking this carbon dioxide release to climate change and the effects of global warming on Australia.〔Preston, B.L. and Jones, R.N (Climate Change Impacts on Australia and the Benefits of Early Action to Reduce Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions ). CSIRO. Retrieved on 23 January 2013.〕 The burning of coal produces 42.1% of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions, excluding export coal, based on 2004 GHG inventory.〔()〕 Both Greenpeace Australia Pacific (Energy ()evolution〔(Energy [R]evolution ). Greenpeace. Retrieved on 23 January 2013.〕 and Beyond Zero Emissions (Zero Carbon Australia 2020〔(Beyond Zero Emissions ). Zero Carbon Australia. Retrieved on 23 January 2013.〕 have produced reports claiming a transition can be made to renewable energy and Greenpeace has called for a just transition for coal based communities,〔 but others argue at present there is no strong evidence of a viable alternative for the vast majority of Australia's electricity generation, or for the significant economic and social benefits coal mining delivers to regional communities.〔NSW Department of Planning. 2008. (Impacts of underground coal mining on natural features in the Southern Coalfield: strategic review ). State of New South Wales. Retrieved on 23 January 2013.〕 Many of these arguments specifically ignore the differentiation between thermal and metallurgical coal, and the different application they play in modern society. Coal Seam Gas, methane-based gas associated with deposits of coal has historically been flared, however over the past 10 years has been recovered and used to generate further electricity.〔(GE's ecomagination™ Certified Jenbacher Power Plant Commissioned at Australian Coal Mine to Help Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions ). General Electric. Accessed 14 April 2011.〕〔(Queensland Government Inaugurates Alternative Energy Plant Powered by GE's Jenbacher Waste Coal Mine Gas Engines ). www.v1energy.com. Accessed 11/05/2011.〕〔(Clarke Generates Interest at Blackwater ). Clarke Energy article in www.gastoday.com.au, Accessed 11/05/2011.〕 The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, which followed the draft report of the Garnaut Climate Change Review, has placed a price on carbon emissions through a reducing cap and trade emissions trading scheme and this would be likely to impact most heavily on brown coal usage within Australia (particularly in the Latrobe Valley in Victoria) for power generation. ==Forms of coal== Two forms of coal are mined in Australia, depending on the region: high-quality bituminous coal (black coal) and lower-quality lignite (brown coal). Bituminous coal is mined in Queensland and New South Wales, and is used for both domestic power generation and for export overseas. It is mined underground or open-cut before being transported by rail to power stations, or to export shipping terminals. Bituminous coal was also once exported to other Australian states for power generation and industrial boilers. Lignite is mined in Victoria and South Australia, and is of lower quality due to a higher ash and water content. As a result, Victoria adopted German power station and briquette technology in the 1920s to utilise the lignite reserves of the Latrobe Valley. Today there are three open cut lignite coal mines in Victoria used for baseload power generation. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Coal in Australia」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|