Moranbah North

EDL owns and operates the 63.9MW Moranbah North Power Station, which captures and combusts waste coal mine gas and converts it to electricity for the national electricity market.

At a glance

  • Project name:

    Moranbah North Power Station

  • Owner, operator:

    EDL

  • Start of operation:

    2008

  • Location:

    Moranbah, Central Queensland, Australia

  • Generating capacity:
    63.9 MW
  • Primary fuel:

    WCMG

  • Abated and avoided emissions:

    2.08 million tonnes CO2–e p.a.

  • Electricity generated:

    450GWh

  • Equivalent cars off the road:

    627,500 p.a.

  • Equivalent homes powered:

    65,500 p.a.

About the WCMG power station

EDL pioneered the process of capturing and converting waste coal mine gas (WCMG) generated during coal mining in Australia.

WCMG is produced during coal mining as methane gas trapped in coal seams is released. As this product can be a safety hazard and a challenge to mining operations, it is extracted by mine ventilation and coal seam drainage. Historically a waste product that is vented or flared, the extracted methane is used by EDL as a power generation fuel—delivering reliable, sustainable and affordable energy and significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The power station incorporates GE Jenbacher 620 3MW generator sets and began full scale operation in 2008, mostly displacing coal-fired generation.

Historically a waste product that is vented or flared, the extracted methane is used by EDL as a power generation fuel.