Emissions
To improve our environmental performance, Verve Energy has a strategy to close some of its coal-fired and less efficient gas-fired generating units and replace them with new technologies, upgrade other units to improve their efficiency and build renewable energy projects.
Following are Verve Energy's actions to support this strategy.
- Replacing old plant with two high efficiency gas turbines, improving Verve Energy’s overall plant efficiency by making better use of fuel, reducing emissions and lowering the carbon intensity of its generation portfolio.
- Refurbishing Muja Power Station Stages AB units as a transitionary measure while low emission, low carbon technologies (including clean coal) are developed over the next 10 – 15 years.
- Shut down two 37 year old dual gas/coal fired units (Stage A) at Kwinana Power Station in 2011.
- Participating in a carbon capture and storage R&D project in the Lower Lesueur Basin between Perth and Bunbury.
- Investing heavily in upgrading Muja Power Station Stages C and D to improve its conversion efficiency.
In accordance with the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act, Verve Energy reports its annual greenhouse gas emissions, energy production and energy consumption. Details are provided at www.climatechange.gov.au/reporting.
Verve Energy’s details of other emissions, such as sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, particulates and metals are provided annually to the National Pollutant Inventory (www.npi.gov.au).
All Verve Energy facilities have been assessed for noise impact in the context of the Western Australian Environmental Protection (Noise) Regulations 1997. All of our sites either comply with the Regulations or are subject to exemptions under Section 17 of the Regulations.
As a key part of Verve Energy’s environmental approval process, noise assessments and modelling are undertaken for major Verve Energy construction projects and as required for other projects.
Related links
Australian Government Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency