Four local businesses will share in over $700,000 to kick-start bioenergy projects in Victoria that will harness the power of organic waste.
The Bioenergy Infrastructure Fund project will support bioenergy technologies for the recovery and reprocessing of organic waste from commercial and industrial sources.
Smart Recycling, a local business in Dandenong South, makes new timber pallets for domestic use and export. They have been awarded a $437,500 grant to fund a biomass boiler which will produce energy to run kilns that heat-treat the wooden pallets to the required standard. The project based in Dandenong South, will reduce organic waste going to landfill by up to 2500 tonnes and reduce reliance on gas to fire the kilns.
Norwood Technologies (trading as Enesys) will receive a $100,000 grant to assist with a business case to establish the viability of a demonstration project located on Melbourne’s fringe. The project will involve three traditionally separated industries – waste, energy and growing food. Organic wastes, including food and household solid waste, will be diverted from landfill to be converted into thermal energy while recovering valuable nutrients.
Delorean Group will receive a $100,000 grant to support a feasibility study for establishing the viability of a bioenergy plant co-located with an industrial facility in Bacchus Marsh. If the project proves feasible the facility, which is based on mature anaerobic digestion technology, will use up to 50,000 tonnes every year of commercial and industrial organic waste, diverting organic waste from landfill.
Mount Alexander Bioenergy will receive $100,000 to assist with the pre-construction phase of a proposed bioenergy plant planned for Castlemaine. Once commissioned, the project will process 22,000 tonnes of organic waste through anaerobic digestion and 13,000 tonnes of biomass through a thermal energy facility. Much of this waste will be sourced from commercial and industrial sources.
Bioenergy reducing waste to landfill
Waste from Victoria’s commercial and industrial (C&I) sector is generated from government, education, health, offices, factories, manufacturing and small to medium businesses. The C&I sector generates more than 1,300,000 tonnes of organic waste every year, with over a quarter of that being food and only ten per cent of this food waste recovered.
Once other options for recovering organics have been exhausted, converting organic waste to renewable energy provides a valuable fuel source while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with landfill.
Bioenergy can play an important role in the mix of renewable energy, supporting the transition towards a low carbon and circular economy, while building the energy resilience of businesses.
