FRANKFURT, Sept 28, 2007 (AFP) - Three German industrial groups have joined forces to find ways of capturing carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, they said Friday.

Power company RWE, chemicals giant BASF and Linde, the leading industrial gas maker worldwide, said they would build and operate a pilot plant 'to test new developments and solvents from BASF for the capture of CO2 -- so-called CO2 scrubbing.'

Linde would handle engineering and construction of the pilot facility, to be located at an RWE power plant in southwestern Germany.

SYDNEY, July 23, 2007 (AFP) - Australia`s first emissions trading exchange went live Monday, setting an initial price for carbon at 8.50 Australian dollars (7.50 US) a tonne, officials said.

The new exchange is a joint venture between the Melbourne-based Australia Pacific Exchange (APX), a bourse specialising in small niche companies, and the Australian Climate Exchange (ACX).