Ironbark WCMG Electricity Generation Facility

Ironbark WCMG Electricity Generation Facility is a Coal Mine Waste Gas (CMWG) project located in the Bowen Basin, approximately 40km north-east of Moranbah and 15km west of Nebo in Central Queensland. Registered on May 18, 2023, the project operates within the mining lease of the Ironbark No 1 Coal Mine. The surrounding region is a hub for Australia's metallurgical coal industry, characterized by heavy mining infrastructure interspersed with broad-acre beef cattle grazing.

The project operates under the Coal Mine Waste Gas Methodology, which credits the capture and combustion of fugitive methane emissions that would otherwise be vented into the atmosphere during underground mining operations. As a displacement electricity production project, the facility captures methane drained from the coal seams, treats it to remove water and impurities, and uses it to fuel gas engines. This generates electricity that powers the mine or feeds into the grid, effectively displacing electricity that would otherwise be drawn from the fossil-fuel-heavy local network.

Environmental conditions in this part of the Bowen Basin are typical of a semi-arid to sub-tropical climate, featuring hot, wet summers and mild, dry winters. The landscape is dominated by the Brigalow Belt bioregion, where soils are predominantly fertile, cracking clays (Vertosols) supporting Acacia woodlands where vegetation has not been cleared for agriculture or mining.

Notably, this facility involves a partnership between the proponent, Carbon Logica, and the mine owner, Fitzroy Australia Resources. It has been highlighted as the first carbon abatement project constructed in the industry following the Australian Government's 2023 Safeguard Mechanism reforms. The power station was designed with an initial capacity of 5MW, with plans to expand up to 24MW, potentially abating over 160,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions annually.