Dr Kaye said: "By choosing to launch this facility today, the Iemma government is thumbing its nose at the Garnaut inquiry.

"Instead of focusing on wind power or solar thermal generation, the Energy Minister is pushing the button on a pilot project that is running behind schedule. Even if successful it will not deliver technology that could contribute to short and medium term emissions reduction targets.

"The pilot 'capture and release' project will at best lead to a demonstration facility that will temporarily confine less than 1.5% of the station's greenhouse gas emissions.

"The problem of burying the waste CO2 is still yet to be solved. The government's failure to find geologically suitable sites in the vicinity of NSW's coal-burning power stations undermines any credibility the project might have had.

"The Greens have received reports that when Minister Macdonald throws the switch today, he will be starting up two loud fans and nothing more.

"We understand that the Munmorah project is behind schedule.

"The NSW government did not want to admit that it could not deliver on time even this tiny pilot task that will capture and then release less than 0.15% of the station's emissions.

"Like clean coal itself, this is all about spin and nothing about saving the climate.

"While the rest of the nation is debating how to meet the targets Professor Garnaut will put forward today, NSW will be stuck in the mire of a clean coal project that is going nowhere and rapidly growing greenhouse gas emissions from its electricity generators," Dr Kaye said.

For more information:    John Kaye 0407 195 455