The Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP) has selected eight greenhouse gas mitigation projects for funding in its latest round.

ACARP, which is financed through a levy paid by all Australian coal producers, is contributing $690,000 while the successful applicants, including the CRC for Coal In Sustainable Development, CSIRO Exploration and Mining, GeoGAS, and CSIRO Energy Technology will provide the remainder.

“ACARP is contributing to work promoting the sustainable use of coal in an energy-hungry world,’ said ACARP executive director Ross McKinnon.

McKinnon said the projects would look at the efficient use of fugitive coal seam gas which otherwise would be emitted into the atmosphere and, to accurately measure emissions from mines so that improvements made can be better quantified.

Australian Coal Association director and Queensland Resources Council chief executive Susan Johnston said ACARP was a keen participant in COAL21, a program aimed at reducing or eliminating greenhouse gas emissions associated with the use of coal.

Johnston said COAL21 was developing a national plan for near zero emissions from coal-based electricity generation.

ACARP allocated more than $10 million to projects from its 2003 funding round. Other projects include research on the effect of mining in communities, safety and health issues, technical issues to enhance market advantages of Australian coal, coal preparation, production efficiency and rehabilitation of mined land.