Kestrel Mine - Coal Mine Waste Gas Powerstation

Kestrel Mine - Coal Mine Waste Gas Powerstation is an industrial fugitives project located at the Kestrel Mine, approximately 40 to 50 kilometres northeast of Emerald in Central Queensland. It was registered in December 2023. While the exact project area size is unknown, it operates entirely within the footprint of the existing underground metallurgical coal mine.

Coal mine waste gas projects involve capturing and destroying the methane component of fugitive emissions from mining operations. Under the Coal Mine Waste Gas Methodology, this project earns Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by using a displacement electricity production device to combust the methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas, displacing the need for carbon-intensive grid electricity.

The Emerald and Central Highlands region is well known for extensive coal mining operations alongside significant agricultural land uses, including cattle grazing and irrigated cropping. The environment around the project is considered sub-tropical to semi-arid, experiencing an average annual rainfall of approximately 580 to 600 mm, which predominantly falls during the summer wet season. The local soil types commonly feature deep cracking clays, alluvial soils, and areas of sandy loam overlying Tertiary basalt flows typical of the Bowen Basin.

This project involves installing and operating a 30-megawatt gas-fired power station that is expected to create 160 jobs during development and generate enough electricity to power roughly 40,000 homes. The initiative is backed by the Queensland Government's Low Emissions Investment Partnerships (LEIP) program and aims to reduce the mine's emissions by more than one million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent over eight years. Additionally, in May 2026, the proponent details were varied to include Enernet Kestrel Pty Ltd alongside Kestrel Coal Pty Limited, reflecting a corporate partnership to deliver and operate the infrastructure.