Peabody’s Bowen Basin Centurion Coal Mine to develop coal waste methane gas power plant

A Bowen Basin mine is planning to turn it’s waste gas into power as a developer lodges plans for a mine site power plant.

Mining giant Peabody has changed the name of North Goonyella mine to Centurion Coal Mine as the operation pushes ahead with its resumption.

A carbon emissions reduction company is planning to harness the power of coal waste gas at a Bowen Basin coal mine.

Carbon Logica have lodged plans with the Isaac Regional Council to build a power station at Centurion mine, north of Moranbah.

Formerly North Goonyella, the mine was reopened by operator Peabody in 2024 after an underground blaze stopped operations for five years.

In December 2024 the mine made its first shipment to Dalrymple Bay Coal terminal and it is expected to begin higher-volume longwall production in March, 2026.

Now coal waste gas energy company Carbon Logica have pitched a plan to turn the mine’s waste into power.

The proposed plant — planned for a lot adjacent to Centurion mine at 200 Mabbin Rd, Moranah — aims to transform excess, underground methane gas into power.

The power plant will be accessible by the North Goonyella Access Rd.

As is, drained methane gas is vented or flared into the atmosphere, now Carbon Logica aim to capture and use this waste gas.

WSP consultant for Carbon Logica Christine Geissler said the power plant would supply the nearby mine with power and reduce transmission losses.

“It will play a crucial role in the local power grid by offsetting the local electricity demand that would otherwise need to be imported via long-distance transmission networks,” Ms Geissler said.

The initial capacity of the power plant will be 5MW with production ramping up once stage two of construction is completed to be 20MW.

Development will occupy approximately 5,770 sqm of the lot at 200 Marbin Rd.

Two generators will be built in stage one, with another four delivered in stage two.

Ms Geissler said waste gas will be drawn from Centurion mine using a series of blowers before being treated.

Then it will go into a gas-fired engine, generating electricity which feeds directly back into the site’s power grid.

Documents submitted to the Isaac Regional Council on January 31, 2025 reveal goaf gas — released from collapsing roofs and floors after longwall equipment has passed — will be used to maintain a consistent gas supply.

Collected water from the filtration process will be re-used in mining operations.

Mining giant Peabody changed the name of North Goonyella mine to Centurion Coal Mine as they pushed to resume operations.

Stage one will deliver two 2.249MWe engine generators, with stage two delivering another four 3.36MWe generators, all installed within acoustic enclosures.

Up to 10 exhaust stacks with a height of up to 15m will be built, along with a control building, lunchroom facility for workers, switch room, oil storage tanks and workshop.

It’s estimated the power plant will employ two to three workers after the completion of stage one and between four and five workers once completed, working seven on, seven off shifts.

Power plant workers will be housed at Peabody’s Centurion Coal Mine accommodation.

Construction will create up to 25 temporary jobs and add an additional three heavy vehicles to the nearby road network a week.

Construction is estimated to take a total of 12 months, with six months allowed for each stage.

Ms Geissler wrote that Isaac Regional Council was generally supportive of the application following a meeting on November 13, 2024.

Originally published as Peabody’s Bowen Basin Centurion Coal Mine to develop coal waste methane gas power plant