General News
4 March, 2024
Test centre open to public
RESIDENTS will have the chance to visit the Otway International Test Centre at Nirranda South this weekend.
The carbon capture and storage research site will be open tomorrow (Saturday, March 2) giving members of the public a chance to see CO2CRC’s site first-hand.
Over the past 20 years Nirranda South has been the site of major developments into carbon capture and storage technology - with technology now set to play a major role globally in reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
Visitors to the Otway International Test Centre will have the chance to discuss CO2CRC’s research with scientists and tour the site and its deep research wells during a bus tour.
Children’s activities will also be on offer and visitors can join CO2CRC staff for morning tea or lunch.
A barista will be on-site serving coffee from 10am until 12noon.
CO2CRC’s current research projects (with operations taking place over 2024) involve analysing the impact of faulting on the storage of carbon dioxide deep below the surface, collecting data to enhance our storage planning, and refining new methods to improve the efficiency of the carbon dioxide storage process.
CO2CRC chief executive officer Dr Matthais Raab said the tools used for carbon capture and storage had evolved significantly in the past 20 years and much of this development, now used globally, originated at Nirranda South at the Otway International Test Centre.
“Tomorrow, Saturday March 2, is a unique opportunity for members of the community to visit the site and learn about what we do first hand,” Dr Raab said.
The OITC will be open between 10am and 3pm.
Bus tours will depart at 11am and 1pm.
The Otway International Test Centre is located on Brumby’s Lane Nirranda South.
For safety reasons, visitors are requested to wear long pants, a long sleeved top and covered shoes.