The Australian Government will invest $20 million in an Australia - China Joint Coordination Group on Clean Coal Technology.
These funds will mean the Australian Government is now investing $94.6 million in China specific climate change and water programs out to 2015.
The Australia - China Joint Coordination Group on Clean Coal Technology will be funded as part of the Government's $500 million Clean Coal Fund.
The Prime Minister and Minister for Climate Change and Water today announced funding for three new climate change and water projects in China.
The three new projects funded by the Australian Government today are:
* A feasibility study into the development of the largest solar city in the world at Weihai in the northeast of China.
* A pilot project applying Australia's National Carbon Accounting System at a provincial level in China.
* A trial of the Australian river health monitoring systems in the Yellow river, The Pearl River Basin and the Da Ling River.
These projects will be funded under the Australia - China Climate Change Partnership and the Australia China Environment Development Program; and will form part of the new strengthened efforts to work with China to address climate change. (See Attachment A)
These efforts also include a new Ministerial level dialogue that will provide high level oversight to future collaboration and drive enhanced cooperation in clean energy technologies; climate change science, adaptation, and building the capacity of China to respond to climate change.
Australia and China are building a strong partnership which includes working together in very practical ways to respond to this global challenge.
These practical climate change and water projects are making a small but significant contribution to the Chinese Government's efforts to be part of the global solution to climate change. If successful, each of these small projects has the potential to be rolled out nationally across China.
By relying on Australian technology these practical projects are also helping Australian climate change and water businesses get a start in the massive Chinese market.
The Prime Minister and Minister for Climate Change and Water made the announcement at the Gaobeidian power station in Beijing. This coal powered plant is the site of a pilot post combustion carbon capture project.
This joint initiative of the CSIRO Energy Transformed National Research Flagship, the China Huaneng Group and China's Thermal Power Research Institute is funded with a $4 million Australian Government grant.
The plant is expected to be running by August this year and if successful will capture around 3000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year - beginning the process of adapting the technology for Chinese conditions. Importantly for the people of Beijing, the technology also has the potential to strip other substances that contribute to air pollution, including nitrous oxides, particulates and heavy metals.
Better river health monitoring systems
China's rapid economic development has placed great pressure on its water resources - it is estimated that 60 percent of China's monitored rivers are too polluted to be used for public water supplies.
Australia has worked with China to develop a new water entitlement and trading framework in two provinces to help rationalise the allocation of water between different users.
Under the new AU$2 million project announced today, river health monitoring systems will be trialled in the Yellow river, The Pearl River Basin and the Da Ling River. If successful these systems could be considered for wider application in China. The project will be funded under the Australia-China Environment Development Program.
The project will draw on international and Chinese specialists in river health and environmental flows and will aim to build capacity of technicians in China to independently conduct and further develop river health and environmental flow assessments.
The world's largest solar city
The Australian Government will invest AUD$212,000 under the Australia-China Climate Change Partnership in a feasibility study into the development of the largest solar city in the world at Weihai - a coastal city in the northeast of China. The total project will be led by BP Solar working with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Weihai City Council, State Grid and BP SunOasis with a total cost of $574,000.
The Weihai Green Energy City feasibility study will investigate financing models for installing up to 100MW of solar PV, along with additional solar thermal, and energy efficiency applications in a consolidated urban environment.
If successful, the photovoltaic installation is expected to generate enough electricity to power more than 50,000 Chinese homes based on current energy use.
It will create a global ‘showcase' of solar technologies and energy efficiency options and is part of Australian efforts to help China develop its economy while effectively addressing climate change.
Building China's carbon accounting capacity
The Australian Government will also invest $525,000 to help China apply Australia's world class / internationally leading National Carbon Accounting System at a provincial level in China as a pilot project that explores how the system can be adapted to Chinese conditions.
It will help develop China's greenhouse accounting capacity to enable more accurate reporting in keeping with IPCC guidelines and to prepare it for possible participation in future global carbon markets.
The project will be jointly conducted by the CSIRO, the Chinese Academy of Forestry, the Australian National University, and the Australian Government Department of Climate Change. The project will be funded under the Australia China Climate Change Partnership.
Attachment A
Program
Description
Funding for Australia - China activity
National Clean Coal Fund
$500 million to 2015 to generate at least $1.5 billion in new investment.
$20,000,000 2008-2015
Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (APP)
Australia , Canada, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea and United States of America in partnership to address the challenges of climate change, energy security and air pollution.
$43,929,492 2006 - 2011
Bilateral Climate Change Partnership Program
$7.1 million to support the development and implementation of bilateral climate change partnerships and projects with developing countries.
$5,653,485 2004-2009
Australia - China Environment Development Program (ACEDP)
$25 million to support and improve environmental and natural resource management policy development in China.
$25,000,000 2007-2012