Brown coal

Brown coal or lignite is a soft brown coloured sedimentary rock that develops from decaying organic matter. It is used in power generation but is the lowest grade of coals. It has a carbon content of 25% to 35%. About a quarter of the world’s brown coal is found in the Australian state of Victoria. Recently, a Japan- Australia venture started producing hydrogen from brown coal. This is a 500 million AUD (Australian dollar) project that seeks to commercially produce and export liquefied hydrogen.