The project involves the construction of a slow-pyrolysis processing plant to convert organic waste into biochar and electricity.
The plant will be located at the Ballina Waste Management Centre and has secured $4.25 million in funding from the Regional Development Australia Fund - 50% of the money required for the project.
Phillip Klepzig, manager of commercial services at Lismore City Council, confirmed that both councils are currently trying to agree on a way to work together to provide the best value for money in waste management.
"We can sign a supply agreement or we can become a full business partner in this project and we are trying to decide what will work better for everyone," Mr Klepzig said.
Rod Dawson, manager of water, sewer and waste at Ballina Council, explained that slow-pyrolysis is "heating organic waste in an oxygen-starved environment, so it is 'cooked' instead of burned".
The process produces gas, which is used to generate electricity on-site. The second product of the process is biochar, a charcoal-like solid, high in carbon that is used to improve soil quality in agriculture.
This means that greenhouse gases would be offset and carbon will be sequestered on a large scale at the Ballina Waste Management Centre.
Ballina Council will require other council's green waste, as garden waste contains up to 50% water, meaning that only half the material can be considered a "dry tonne" to be converted into biochar.
The plant would be able to process up to 16, 000 dry tonnes a year, generating 1-1.3 megawatts of renewable electricity and 5000 tonnes of biochar.
Mr Dawson confirmed that similar discussions are underway with Byron and Richmond Valley councils to ensure most of the green waste in the Northern Rivers is processed by the plant, which is to be completed by the end of June 2015.
ENDNOTE:
ALSO
- In the 2006 Census of Population and Housing, there were 38,461 usual residents living in Ballina Shire. Of this count, 18,463 (or 49%) were males and 19,998 (or 52%) were females
- In the 2006 Census, held on 8 August 2006, there were 28,766 persons usually resident in Byron Shire: 14,146 residents (49.2%) were males and 14,620 (50.8%) were females
- In the 2006 Census of Population and Housing there were 42,210 usual residents living in Lismore City Council. Of this count, 20,543 (or 48%) were males and 21,667 (or 51%) were females
- In the 2006 Census of Population and Housing there were 24,579 usual residents living in Richmond Valley Council. Of this count, 10,507 (or 49%) were males and 10,806 (or 51%) were females.
ALSO
- Click here for the Minister's letter in support ... "Through RDAF, the Australian Government will provide Ballina Shire Council with $4.3 million to get the $8.5 million plant powering ahead, matching the commitment already made by the Council to the project.It's expected that 94 full time-equivalent jobs will be created during construction, along with 10 full time-equivalent ongoing jobs."
- Pacific Pyrolysis Pty Ltd have developed, and are commercialising, slow-pyrolysis technology to deliver waste to energy and biochar solutions. The technology converts non-food biomass into renewable energy and a proprietary biochar called Agrichar™, that has been proven by independent trials to increase food production and sequester carbon over long periods of time. Pacific Pyrolysis is developing projects which utilise the technology to solve a number of the sustainability issues facing businesses. Please see PacPyro flyer for more information .... click here to read more
- FARMERS in north western New South Wales have seen first hand technology that turns invasive native scrub (INS, also known as woody weeds) into an agricultural resource at a Central West Catchment Management Authority field day ... click here to read more and watch the video
- F. Strie Submission to LCC: Waste Management & Pyrolysis ... click here
- Gerald Dunst introducing his work on fertile soils at Sonnenerde, Austria "Creating humus-rich fertile soils from waste products is Sonnenerde's expertise. The green wastes that communities and households deliver to the composting facility of Gerald Dunst in Austria for disposal are used here as feedstock for making highly fertile humus-rich soils. In 2012, the SME began working with a PYREG plant that converst papermill sludge into Biochar which is then combined with composting of nutrient-rich soils. This mixture is the most promising approach in state-of-the-art Biochar research. Mr Dunst explains his work in this exciting video." ... click her to make the link ... click here for a map of biochar projects in Europe
According to correspondence received from Mr H. Galea,Director Infrastructure Services, Launceston City Council has made, or is committed to, the following expenditures in relation to Waste Management:
- $60,000 for two consultancies in past three years relating to the Launceston's Waste Management
- $2.4 million expended on the Waste Transfer Station at the Launceston Waste Centre
- $5.8 million to be expended upon the construction of the landfill cell at the Launceston Waste Centre
- $24.5 million is the anticipated capital expenditure at the Launceston Waste Centre over the next 10 years;
- $2.6 million per annum is the current annual operating cost of the the Launceston Waste Centre
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