Kestrel Mine - Coal Mine Waste Gas Powerstation

Kestrel Mine - Coal Mine Waste Gas Powerstation is a coal mine waste gas project located in the Bowen Basin in Central Queensland, approximately 23km from the town of Tieri and 40km north of Emerald. It was registered in December 2023 and covers an unknown project area size.

Coal mine waste gas projects involve capturing fugitive methane emissions from coal mine drainage or ventilation systems that would otherwise be vented into the atmosphere, and combusting them using flares or by generating electricity.

The Central Highlands and Emerald region is heavily utilized for extensive coal mining operations alongside agricultural practices such as cattle grazing on local pastures. The area experiences a semi-arid to subtropical climate characterized by distinct wet and dry seasons with summer-dominant rainfall. The regional soils are predominantly Vertosols, which are deep, cracking clay soils known for their high fertility and large water-holding capacity.

This project involves the installation and operation of a 30-megawatt gas-fired displacement electricity production device to capture and combust the methane component of coal mine waste gas from the underground mine. Supported by the Queensland Government's $520 million Low Emissions Investment Partnerships (LEIP) program, the power station will generate enough electricity to supply the equivalent of 40,000 homes each year. Additionally, the initiative is expected to reduce the mine's emissions by over one million tonnes over an eight-year period and create approximately 160 jobs prior to full operations.