Future Latrobe Valley Scenarios for a Carbon-Constrained World: Industrial Ecology, Environmental Impacts and Property Rights

The Latrobe Valley has substantial brown coal deposits which are currently mined for use in coal-fired power stations which supply 85 % of Victoria’s electricity. This paper considers the role that industrial ecology could play in underpinning the future structure (2050-2100) of the Latrobe valley industry base in a carbon-constrained world. Potential future scenarios for industry clusters were developed around three themes: bio-industries and renewables (no coal usage); electricity from coal with carbon capture and storage (low to high coal use options exist within this scenario); coal to products (e.g. hydrogen, ammonia, diesel, methanol, plastics, char with medium to high overall coal use relative to current levels). This research uses life cycle thinking to characterise the potential water, greenhouse gas and property rights impacts across life cycle stages