Carbon Tax

On Sunday, July 10, 2011 the Gillard Government announced publicly that the 500 largest polluters in Australia would be taxed at $23/tonne of carbon emission, effective from July 1, 2012.

Who are the big "victim" under the new tax and regulation. thetelegraph.com.au has list out 50 top emitters in Australia. For example, Macquarie generation is the state owned power plant, has to pay $538 million for emits 23 million tonnes carbon per year from the generation of electricity power. Year 2010 the company revenue is $1,157 million and net profit is $196.5 million. The figure shows the company will significant loss in the following year. The question is does it be cost transferred to consumer.

Top 50 emitters in Australia - carbon emissions (tonnes) and carbon cost

Macquarie Generation - 23,408,791 $538,402,193

Great Energy Alliance - 19,797,636 $455,345,628

International Power - 17,247,970 $396,703,310

CS Energy - 16,824,919 $386,973,137

Tru Energy - 15,612,214 $359,080,922

Delta Electricity West - 12,324,323 $283,459,426

Eraring (Origin) - 12,067,677 $277,556,571

BlueScope Steel - 10,791,351 $248,201,073

Loy Yang Holdings - 10,186,782 $234,295,986

OzGen Holdings - 10,173,421 $233,988,683

Verve - 8,418,390 $193,622,970

Woodside Petroleum - 8,391,652 $193,007,996

Tarong - 8,230,839 $189,309,297

Delta Electricity - 8,128,790 $186,962,173

Alinta Energy - 7,863,143 $180,852,289

Rio Tinto - 7,701,301 $177,129,923

Stanwell - 7,445,704 $171,251,192

NRG Vic - 7,034,972 $161,804,356

Alcoa Australia - 6,757,567 $155,424,041

AZSA Holdings - 6,117,764 $140,708,572

BHP Billiton - 5,150,942 $118,471,666

Anglo American - 4,059,269 $93,363,187

Qantas - 3,956,061 $90,989,403

Queensland Alumina - 3,556,459 $81,798,557

Adelaide Brighton - 3,095,806 $71,203,538

Cement Aust - 2,774,673 $63,817,479

Xstrata 2,692,486 $61,927,178

OneSteel 2,583,496 $59,420,408

Exxon 2,578,735 $59,310,905

Peabody Energy 2,575,759 $59,242,457

HRL Limited 2,474,092 $56,904,116

Boral 2,328,307 $53,551,061

Orica 2,113,590 $48,612,570

Transfield Worley Power 2,052,048 $47,197,104

Alcan Gove 1,987,588 $45,714,524

Centential coal 1,985,142 $45,658,266

Origin Energy Limited 1,873,394 $43,088,062

Caltex 1,817,628 $41,805,444

Virgin Blue 1,730,209 $39,794,807

Conoco 1,574,820 $36,220,860

Burrup Fertiliser 1,538,899 $35,394,677

BP Regional 1,472,407 $33,865,361

Shell Australia 1,442,496 $33,177,408

AGL 1,435,808 $33,023,584

Queensland Nickel 1,248,685 $28,719,755

Rio Doce 1,235,783 $28,423,009

Energy Developments 1,045,811 $24,053,653

Asciano 1,023,720 $23,545,560

Incitec 987,302 $22,707,946

Pechiney 983,247 $22,614,681

Qenos 839,465 $19,307,695

On other side, GE Energy report said the main contributor of greenhouse gas emissions are associated gas flaring from oil and gas industry. What is associated gas flaring? In oil exploration and production, associated is hydrocarbon gas from the well. When extracting the crude oil from the well, this associated gas will flow together with oil. However some of the gas will utilized for power generation and heating. The rest of gas will be flared if there is no export gas or injection gas facilities available. The gas is burnt without generating any utilities power. Why the gas must be flared? It is due to safety issue. When unburnt hydrocarbon gas release to atmospheric will threaten the workers.

The company shall use most energy efficiency machine or technology to reduce the greenhouse gas emission. They should more environmental responsible.