voa标准英语2008年-Australia Unveils Blueprint for Clean Coal

A unique program to capture carbon at coal power stations has been unveiled in Australia. Operators of a demonstration¹ plant say it is the first of its type in the world and involves burning coal in oxygen rather than air, which reduces carbon dioxide emissions². From Sydney, Phil Mercer reports.

The pilot program in the northern Australian state of Queensland intends to show that existing power stations can be refitted to burn coal in a far cleaner way.

Over the next four years the technology will be developed and officials believe it has the potential to be a gift to the world.

The system burns coal in pure oxygen, making it easier for the capture of carbon dioxide, which many scientists say contributes to a warming planet. The carbon dioxide is then liquefied and buried deep underground in a process known as geo-sequestration.

Queensland's Mines and Energy minister, Geoff Wilson, says the project could have significant environmental benefits.

"In traditional coal-fired power stations, the coal is burnt in air in a big furnace in air and then the carbon is released into the atmosphere," Wilson said. "What is being done different here is that instead of burning the coal in air, it is being burnt in pure oxygen so that the amount of carbon emitted from the coal-fired process is significantly reduced, therefore making it easier to capture with ancillary³ technology the carbon produced and then to safely store it."

Australian and Japanese companies are backing the project, with partial funding from the government in Canberra.

The International Energy Agency has said that clean coal technology could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 25 and 28 percent.

The environmental group Friends of the Earth is not convinced the technology will be a solution to climate change. A spokeswoman says it has "very limited potential" to cut emissions in the short term.

Critics argue the technology is unproven and will not guarantee Australia's coal dependent economy an easy or cheap passage toward a low-emission future.

Australia's hunger for cheap coal makes it one of the world's worst per capita emitters of greenhouse gases. Scientists warn that the Australian continent will be especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change and may suffer more severe droughts, floods and storms as a result.

Australia's Labor⁴ government says tackling the causes of global warming are a major policy goal.

1 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

2 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

3 ancillary   

adj.附属的，从属的

参考例句：

• The transport corps is ancillary to the infantry.运输队是步兵的辅助部队。
• This is just an ancillary business.这仅仅是一项辅助业务。

4 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。