Remondis, a leading global waste, water and environmental management company, has announced plans to build a $400 million energy-from-waste (EfW) facility in south of Ipswich in Queensland.
The proposed plant will convert between 300,000 and 500,000 tonnes of waste per year to generate up to 50MW of baseload electricity for the state, enough to power up to 50,000 homes.
The company’s Australian unit has informed the Queensland government of its plans to make an application to develop the project through the state’s coordinated project process.
REMONDIS Queensland general manager Bret Collins said the company has been encouraged by recent comments from governments across Australia that EfW technology could provide some relief to the challenges facing the waste management and recycling industry.
“Our 52 facilities recover energy from more than 4.2 million tonnes of waste per annum and we trade our own electricity into the European grid,” he said.
“There is an opportunity for Australia to benefit from REMONDIS’ global experience, and other successful European and UK facilities, and incorporate energy-from-waste as part of the solution to sustainable, best practice waste management.
The Queensland government yesterday welcomed the new, with the state Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning, Cameron Dick, saying that the project would establishes Queensland as a major player in the waste-to-energy market.
“This project could create up to 200 jobs during construction and some 70 jobs during operations.
With the Queensland government introducing a waste levy this year to deal with an excess of landfill in south-east Queensland, Minister Dick said they were hoping the levy would help build a new industry as an alternative to landfill.
“The program is part of our government’s comprehensive waste management strategy, and furthers our aim to make Queensland a world leader in projects involving resource recovery, recycling and the re-manufacturing of materials to turn waste to energy.”
Queensland’s Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said the project is in line with Queensland’s target of reaching 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030.
“This is an innovative renewable energy project that joins our $4.3 billion pipeline of renewable projects financially committed or underway,” he said.