Agriwaste Energy Pty Ltd
State Significant Development Application
The proposed site is located on Lot 4 DP46629, between Coleambally and Darlington Point NSW, on the eastern side of the Kidman Way. The site is wholly within the Murrumbidgee Local Government Area. The local area is generally developed for agriculture including grazing, annual cropping and irrigated annual crops such as cotton, wheat, canola,corn and wine grapes. The subject property is about two thirds cleared. There are few dwelling houses in the vicinity of the site with patches of remnant vegetation spread throughout the adjoining lands. The site and location is shown in the attached maps. Landowner consent for this application has also been attached with this application.
Development Description
The proposed development includes a 100 megawatt (MW) agricultural waste energy generating plant, comprising:
2 by 130 MW boilers, each generating 50MW electric and 80MW of useable steam heat and each boiler consuming 350,000 tonnes of agricultural waste per year;
30 briquette machines capable of producing 300,000 tonnes of briquettes per year;
Two by 150,000 tonne straw storage sheds;
Two by 50,000 tonne briquette storage sheds;
Solar panels on shed rooftops 5‐10MW in total;
75,000 tonne (wet) per year fruit drying plant;
200,000 tonne (wet) per year grain drying plant;
Up to 110 permanent staff will be employed during operation, as well as 350 staff for 2 years during construction;
On site staff accommodation, 100 units (initially for construction staff);
The site adjoins the Kidman Way and the footprint is about 1,500m long with a width of 300m. The Kidman Way will be accessed in two locations at the northern and southern ends of the development site.
Approval will be sought for the construction and augmentation of the electricity network to support the proposed development upon finalisation of investigations by Transgrid.
There are no straw fired bioenergy plants in Australia. The technology for the straw powered boilers and turbines as proposed is the similar to the recently built plants in the UK at Sleaford, Snetterton and Brigg, with plants nearing completion at Crampton and Widnes. These sites are all single boiler sites, the proposed development is for two boilers each of a comparable size to those in the UK. The technology for the boilers comes from Europe. Countries such as Denmark have been pioneering the bioenergy sector since the early 1980’s. In 2013, 11.5% of Denmark’s electricity was generated from biomass.
Some of the existing plants in the UK use straw as the only substrate, but this exposes them to a volatile substrate market. Non‐straw substrates are to be used in the proposed development to provide a secondary source of substrate. Ratio of straw to other substrates will be about 70‐80% straw to 20‐30% secondary substrates.
The primary sources of substrate for the boilers will be irrigated rice, wheat, barley, canola and Miscanthus stubble, a high energy high yield. The substrate will be delivered as large bales (600 – 900kg).
Secondary sources for the substrate which will be made into briquettes, includes cotton gin trash, cotton stalks, rice husks, nut husks (walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts) and corn stubble. Surplus boiler heat output will be used to dry straw and briquette substrate as required and for the fruit and grain dryers. The briquettes will be about 60‐100mm in diameter and 100‐300mm long and are a log burner equivalent to wood. Local cotton gins have expressed interest in supplying their gin trash as alternative methods of disposal of this product as fire hazard management continue to be a challenge for the cotton gin operators.
A related entity (AgriWaste Pty Ltd) will be responsible for the baling, transport and delivery of the straw to the site. Agriwaste will engage local farmers and transport operators to assist in the transport and delivery of the straw. To manage straw supply, cost, seasonality of production and quality, significant onsite straw storage is proposed.
The on selling of the briquettes commercially is yet to be fully explored. If suitable markets and commercial returns exist, sale of briquettes may be pursued however this is not the primary purpose of the proposed briquette production unit.
Pelleted Agricultural/Horticultural and Gardening fertilisers will also be manufactured from all the boiler ash mixed with many other premium natural nutrients neatly completing the full recycling loop.
The full scope of the complete project will be determined once investigations are completed and through the environmental assessment process informing the EIS. It is recognised now that air quality is a potential impact that will require detailed assessment. Existing plants in Europe have met comparable air quality standards.
Application for Secretary’s Environmental
Assessment Requirements (SEARs)
The issued Secretary’s Environmental
Assessment Requirements (SEARs)
Link to State Significant Planning Application at NSW major project planning
Links to Similar Technology
Babcock and Wilcox
DP CleanTech
Elecnor Australia
Link to Briquetting technology Video
C. F, Nielson Denmark
