Australian renewable energy technology firm Renergi has completed the construction of a A$10.4 million (about $7 million U.S., at current exchange rates) waste-to-energy demonstration plant in Western Australia.
The facility, called Collie Resource Recovery Centre, will produce commercially viable bio-oil, biochar and wood vinegar from the rubbish collected from households and biomass waste.
The bio-oil can be used as a liquid fuel or as feedstock for replacing fossil carbon in chemical manufacturing, iron-making and other industries. Meanwhile, biochar can be sold as a soil conditioner or used in road construction for carbon sequestration. Wood vinegar is a valuable input in horticulture.
The facility has been built in collaboration with the Shire of Collie, a local government area in the southwest region of Western Australia. The project was supported by the Western Australian and Commonwealth governments, as well as private investors.
The plant uses a patented design and technology developed by Renergi and incubated at Curtin University. The facility is expected to create up to 12 full-time jobs and is co-located with the Shire of Collie’s landfill site.
According to the company, the facility is expected to attract significant attention for its potential to transform the way waste is managed, offering a clean and sustainable solution to the conversion of biomass and municipal solid waste into valuable products.
Additionally, the project could help reduce landfill waste and convert plastic waste into valuable industrial and energy inputs.
