the pilbara waste to energy project - new energy · pdf file · 2013-01-24the...
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Alternative Waste Treatment
Renewable Energy
Sustainability
The Pilbara Waste to Energy Project
Number of plastic bags used by Australians in 2007.*
Of construction and demolition waste sent to landfill in 2006/2007.#
3.9ibillion 43%
Plastic bags• Only 14% of these bags were reused by
customers at supermarkets*
• That means 3.3 billion bags ended up in landfills or polluting the environment
• Plastic bags are produced from polymers derived from petroleum. The amount of petroleum used to make a plastic bag would drive a car about 11 metres*
• The energy contained in all of the plastic bags used in one year is enough to propel a car 42 million km
* Source: Australian Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (2010).
Construction and Demolition (C & D) waste• C & D waste is produced from building or
demolition sites
• Of the 43.8 million tonnes of waste generated in Australia in 2006/07, 38% or 16.6 million tonne was C & D waste#
• 7 million tonnes of C & D was sent to landfill in that period#
• Items such as concrete, metal and clean fill are recycled from this stream
• The leftover plastic, timber, textiles and card- board is considered “contaminated” and unsuitable for reuse or recycling, but is ideally suited to energy recovery
# Source: EPHC National Waste Report 2010.
The Australian Environmental Picture
Contents
Tonnes of commercial and industrial waste produced by Australians in 2006/2007.# 44% of this ended up in landfill.
About New Energy 2
Our Vision 2
What sets us apart? 3
Project Summary 4
The Process 6
Technology 8
Why Gasification? 10
FAQs 12
Waste Hierarchy 16
Sustainability 18
Energy Generation
and Carbon Emissions 20
Our Goal 21
14.4 Million
Commercial and Industrial (C & I) waste• C & I waste is generated from commercial and
industrial activities such as offices, restaurants and factories
• The waste that is not source-separated is often considered contaminated and not suitable for recycling. Again it’s ideal for energy recovery
# Source: EPHC National Waste Report 2010.
From solar, to wind, to biomass, new energy sources
are decreasing our reliance on fossil fuels and our
impact on the environment.
New Energy Corporation is positioned to be a
leading provider of renewable energy in Western
Australia, through its innovative low temperature
gasification technology.
By treating waste that would otherwise be going to
landfill, New Energy will generate renewable energy
to supply back to the grid or directly to industry, not
only providing a valued resource to the local area in
the form of electricity, but also providing a solution to
the growing issue of landfill across Western Australia.
WA generates over five million tonnes of waste a year,
67% of which is sent to landfill. In fact, WA has the
highest proportion of waste sent to landfill in Australia,
according to the EPHC National Waste Report 2010.
New Energy Corporation will provide a sustainable
solution to waste treatment in WA, by working to
divert waste from landfill and create energy. The more
waste reduced, reused, recycled and ultimately
diverted from landfill, the better the result for our
environment and the community.
New Energy’s waste to energy process is well proven,
with the low temperature gasification technology
utilised by New Energy already operating in several
facilities world wide.
New Energy will build, own and operate commercially
viable waste to energy plants and, at the proposed
plant in the North West, will divert approximately
100,000 tonnes per annum of waste that would
otherwise have gone to Pilbara-based landfill sites.
This mass of waste represents enough energy to
power 15,000 homes in the region.
Whilst as a nation we are working harder at reducing,
reusing and recycling our waste, there is still a large
proportion that ends up in landfill. New Energy
Corporation has their sights set on the goal of
by supporting the concepts of reduce,
reuse and recycling of waste and then treating waste
for energy recovery.
New Energy is managed by a group of passionate
business men and women, who have a diverse
background in the fields of waste management,
recycling and new technologies. Each is committed
to creating a commercial and sustainable alternative
to landfill, combined with bringing the benefits of
renewable energy production from waste to WA.
This Australian first, in waste management
infrastructure, represents an exciting opportunity
for the Pilbara region.
About
Renewable energy and clean energy technologies are the way of the future.
Our vision is a world with ; where waste
fuels a sustainable future.2
Opportunity
Viable
About
We generate renewable energy by processing waste diverted from landfill.
Our low temperature gasification technology reduces our reliance on fossil fuels, helps to reduce our global environmental footprint and is commercially proven.
Society’sWaste
Renewable Energy
EnvironmentalBenefits
What sets us apart?
3
March 2013Planning approval
June 2013Final approval
April 2013Environmental approval
Project Summary
This project will help solve both these issues by using
commercially proven Entech technology to recover
energy from waste and by feeding the electricity
generated straight into the North West Interconnecting
System (NWIS). In fact, New Energy’s plant at full capacity
will produce enough energy to power 15,000 homes.
LocationNew Energy consulted local councils in the Pilbara,
and the Department of State Development, to
find the best location for the project. Three sites
were initially identified for investigation – the Burrup
Peninsula, the Maitland Industrial Estate and the
Boodarie Industrial Estate at Port Hedland.
New Energy is investing in state-of-the-art waste to energy technology in what will be an Australian first. Resource projects and population growth have put a strain on both power and waste infrastructure in the Pilbara.
Project Milestones
4
January 2015Plant opens
November 2013Construction begins
The Boodarie Industrial Estate has proved to be
the best location on the following grounds:
• Proximity to major road transport routes
• Access to major existing power infrastructure
• Location within the regional power generation
industry precinct
• Proximity to major regional sources of waste
• Good separation from the nearest residential
land (approx 6 km)
• Alignment with the Port Hedland Land Use
Master Plan.
Project Features• Thermal capacity of 72 MW
• Waste capacity from 70,000 to 130,000 tonnes
per annum
• Electrical generation capacity of up to 15 MW.
Project Benefits• Supports planned population growth for the
region (an estimated 150,000 tonnes per
annum of waste is projected to be generated
in Karratha and Port Hedland alone)
• “Australian-first” waste management infrastructure
• Supports waste management for large
industrial projects
• Replaces old and inadequate waste infrastructure
that relies on unsustainable landfill
• Creates 30 full-time local jobs
• Environmentally sustainable project
• Helps make the Pilbara a sustainable and
environmentally responsible place to live as well
as the economic powerhouse of Australia.
Artist’s impression of proposed plant
5
ElectricityGeneration
Waste Diverted from Landfill, Trucked to Plant
Households
Households
Recyclable Waste
Waste Generation;Municipal& Industrial
WasteManagement
New Energy Waste to Energy Plant
Waste toLandfill
Local Industry
Local Industry
The Process
New Energy supports sustainable waste management practices by providing a viable alternative to landfill. The energy in the waste is extracted and returned to the community, maximising the value of the waste and minimising its environmental impact.
Sustainable Waste Treatment
Build, own and operate commercially viable
Waste to energy plants.
Reduce our environmental impact by diverting
waste from landfill.
Waste to Energy Plant
Process the waste using state-of-the-art
Entech technology.
Use low temperature gasification, an advanced
thermal treatment technology, to recover energy
from the waste.
6
ElectricityGeneration
Waste Diverted from Landfill, Trucked to Plant
Households
Households
Recyclable Waste
Waste Generation;Municipal& Industrial
WasteManagement
New Energy Waste to Energy Plant
Waste toLandfill
Local Industry
Local Industry
The Process
Clean Energy Generation
Generate renewable energy to supply back to the
grid or directly to industry.
Maximise the benefits of this clean technology by
returning the energy to households and local industry.
7
Plant: New Energy’s processing plants are designed
to accept waste, inspect it, remove recyclables,
and then recover energy from the remainder.
Accept: Waste trucks pass over a weighbridge, where
they are registered, recorded and weighed. They are
weighed again as they exit. The weighbridge operator
tells the drivers where they should deposit the waste.
Inspect: If the waste doesn’t need sorting, it is
deposited by the trucks at the energy recovery
building. The waste is carefully inspected before
being fed into the energy recovery or ‘gasifier’ units.
Recyclables: If the waste needs sorting, it is deposited
at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), where it
is inspected and recyclables and incompatible
wastes are removed. The remaining waste is then
transferred to the energy recovery building.
Buildings: All operations, including waste deliveries
from the trucks, waste inspection and processing,
waste storage and energy recovery, are carried
out indoors. No operations occur in the open
air. In this way any potential noise, dust and
odour is minimised. It is also essential for good
housekeeping in the event of a storm or heavy rain.
In the North West, the buildings will be cyclone
rated, and a set of emergency procedures
will ensure that process safety is unaffected by
weather. These procedures will include process
hibernation in the event of strong winds; and
additional waste stocks for back-up in the event
waste deliveries are restricted by heavy rain.
Gasification: The Entech technology that New Energy
uses to extract energy from the waste is called
‘gasification’. Gasification works by slow-cooking the
waste for 16-24 hours at temperatures of up to 875oC
and introducing small quantities of air and steam.
The air and steam break up the molecules
in the waste, which are converted from a
solid into a gas. This synthetic gas or ‘syngas’
contains small molecules like methane. It is like
natural gas, with a high energy content.
Energy: All the energy content of the waste
is extracted into the syngas. The only residual
is ash, which is like the ash from a slow
combustion stove; it has no energy content.
The syngas is piped to a burner where it’s used
to heat water and make steam. The steam
powers a turbine and generator system to
make electricity. The electricity is fed into the
grid, for use in homes and businesses.
Technology
A new generation of Energy Recovery.
Entech Low Temperature Gasification Chamber
Turbine/Generator
Air Quality Control System
SyngasBurner
Energy Utilisation Heat Exchanger
8
Reducing our environmental impact
Renewable energy on demand Partner to industry
Syngas: Like the gas you use at home, the syngas is
fired to generate heat, carbon dioxide and water
vapour. This exhaust gas is cleaned and filtered
to remove traces of metals such as cadmium
from batteries, sulfur from rubber, and chlorine
from salts, which are absorbed into a stable lime
solid or adsorbed onto activated carbon for
disposal. The carbon dioxide and water vapour
is then safely exhausted to atmosphere.
Waste: The gasification system is very flexible,
and accepts a variety of waste streams of
different sizes and types.
Once it has been inspected it can be fed
directly into the gasifier in whole pieces. The
New Energy system does not use noisy or dusty
processes such as shredding or pulverizing.
The New Energy plant will have minimal impact on the environment due to the plant design and the choice of energy recovery technology.
Odour: All waste will be handled inside
an enclosed building. The building will be
ventilated to prevent the escape of odours,
and this ventilation air will be treated in the
energy recovery process to destroy odours.
Noise: All operations occur indoors.
The MRF and energy recovery processes are
relatively quiet, except the power generation
equipment. This is housed in special acoustic
enclosures that reduce noise to a minimum.
Dust: All plant activities occur indoors. Significant
dust generating activities such as shredding and
crushing do NOT occur on site. The waste is handled
in bulk for inspection and recyclables removal.
Air: The only stream emitted to air is from the stack.
This stream is carbon dioxide and water vapour,
with trace amounts of other compounds. The
trace amounts of other compounds meet the most
stringent environmental standards. These ensure
that stack emissions do not have an impact on
the environment. The stack emissions are tested
continuously and displayed in real time in the
plant control room as an additional safeguard.
Solid Residue: Small volumes of ash, lime and
activated carbon are generated in the energy
recovery process. These are inert and stable,
and suitable for disposal in a Class II or Class III
landfill, depending on their metals content.
Technology
9
Why Gasification?
Carbon-based molecules, or ‘carbonaceous’ molecules are the source of the energy in waste.
Extracting the energy means oxidising the
carbonaceous molecules. To extract the maximum
amount of energy, all the carbonaceous
molecules in the waste have to be oxidised.
Gasification is special because it extracts the energy
from the waste using two separate stages; (1) carbon
removal from the waste and (2) carbon combustion.
This is the safest way to extract the maximum energy
from the waste and produce a stable, inert ash.
1. Carbon Removal from the Waste
New Energy’s slow-cooking process takes all the
carbonaceous molecules in the waste and converts
them from a solid to a gaseous state. This means that
they leave the waste as a free-flowing gas, with only
the solid ash remaining. We allow a long time for this
process, and when the gas leaves behind the solid
ash, it rises gently and does not carry solids with it.
2. Carbon Combustion
The carbonaceous gas is collected and ignited
in a separate gas burner. Because there are
no solids to interfere with the gas burner, this
process is very efficient. The burner can reach
very high temperatures, and all the molecules
can oxidise completely, without ash blocking
the flow of air or shielding the molecules and
preventing them from fully oxidising.
This two-stage approach means that the
carbon is thoroughly removed and combusted,
releasing the maximum energy from the waste.
Importantly, these two stages also mean that
the carbonaceous molecules are destroyed,
minimising the release of organic pollutants like
dioxins and volatile organic carbon (VOC).
SyngasBurner
Entech Low Temperature Gasification Reactor
Gasification - A two-stage Oxidation Process
Air Quality Control System
(Impurities removed)
CombustionProducts
C02
H20
SyngasCH4C0
Air
Air & SteamWaste
Atmosphere
Gasification – A Two-Stage Oxidation Process
10
Low temperature
Environment
PCDD/F
TI
Hg
Heavy Metals
HF
Dust
HCI
Corg
SOx
CO
NOx
0.1ng/Nm3
0.05mg/Nm3
0.05mg/Nm3
0.5mg/Nm3
1mg/Nm3
10mg/Nm3
10mg/Nm3
10mg/Nm3
50mg/Nm3
50mg/Nm3
200mg/Nm3
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Standards: The facility will adhere to
the most stringent international
standards for environmental
performance, including the European
Union Directive 2000/76/EC. This
Directive is considered World’s Best
Practice in emissions performance, with
low allowable limits for all pollutants.
A diagram indicating the 2000/76/EC
standards in grey, and the New Energy
performance in green, is pictured
above. It illustrates that the New Energy
emissions are routinely less than half
the allowed value under the standard.
Due to these low emissions, the plant will readily comply with the National Environmental Protection Measures (NEPM) for Ambient Air Quality, ensuring that ground-level concentrations of pollutants are many orders of magnitude lower than the allowable limits.
Comparison of ‘Typical Plant Performance’ against ‘World’s Best Practice Emissions Standard’.
Entech plant performance
0.02
0.00021
0.00058
0.008
0.17
0.7
5.6
0.45
37
23
90
Best Practice emission limits
11
Where will the project be located?
After an exhaustive investigation, New Energy
selected a site in the Boodarie Industrial Estate,
to the South West of South Hedland.
The Boodarie Industrial Estate proved to be
the best location on the following grounds:
• Proximity to major road transport routes
• Access to major existing power infrastructure
• Location within the estate’s power
generation precinct
• Proximity to major regional sources of waste
• Good separation from the nearest
residential land (approx 6 km)
• Alignment with the Port Hedland
Land Use Master Plan
When will the plant be built?
New Energy is currently in the process of seeking
environmental and planning approval for the
facility. It is hoped that these approvals will be in
place by the end of the first quarter of 2013 and
construction can commence during the fourth
quarter of 2013. If this can be achieved then the
facility could be operational by the first quarter 2015.
What wastes will the facility accept?
The gasification process is capable of handling
almost any type of waste that contains carbon.
These substances containing carbon are sometimes
called ‘carbonaceous’ or ‘organic’. New Energy
will invest in a Materials Recovery Facility or MRF to
remove recyclable items such as concrete, bricks
and metals. We will then recover energy from the
remaining waste that would otherwise be going
to landfill. The types of waste that will be gasified
include municipal solid waste (MSW), plastic bags
and wrapping, contaminated cardboard and
timber packaging from construction and demolition
projects and problematic waste such as used tyres.
At the request of industries operating in the
region, New Energy is considering the possibility
of accepting some waste oil and solvents but
hazardous substances such as asbestos and
waste pesticides will not be accepted.
Will there be jobs for people living in Port Hedland?
It is anticipated that the peak construction
work force will be around 50 personnel and
during operation the plant will require 20
personnel, some of whom will live locally and
others who will work on a fly-in fly-out basis.
How does New Energy convert waste into electricity?
The New Energy facility will use the Entech proven
gasification technology that breaks down the
organic portion of wastes to produce a synthetic gas
(syngas) that consists mainly of methane (the main
component of natural gas) and carbon monoxide.
The syngas is fired to produce electricity. Gasification
provides many advantages over a process such as
incineration because it is a two-stage process which
extracts the organic materials into a gas before
burning them to release their energy. This enables
New Energy to tightly control the process and
minimise the production of hazardous air pollutants.
What does the Town of Port Hedland
think about the project?
The Council supports the development of this
waste to energy project and looks forward to
reviewing the planning application by New Energy.
The project is looked upon as a key to the future
waste management plans of the Council.
What kind of Environmental, Health and Safety
Guidelines will the plant operate under?
The facility will be the subject of thorough
environmental assessments by the Environmental
Protection Authority and the Department of
Environment and Conservation. The plant will only
be built when all necessary approvals are in place.
When in operation, the facility will be operated under
the terms of a stringent Environmental Protection
Act licence and the supervision of the DEC.
The Directors and Management of New Energy
are committed to environmental protection and
understanding local community expectations. New
Energy will convene a community liaison group to
oversee the site operation to ensure that the interests
of the Port Hedland community are safeguarded.
Emissions from the plant will be subjected to
regular testing and the plant will have a continuous
emissions monitoring system (CEMS) for a wide
range of parameters which will be published in
real time on our website for anyone to look at.12
Organic
Energy
13
Integrity
Innovation
14
What about odour?
We do not expect odour to cause any problems for
local residents. The site is located more than 5 km
from the nearest residential area and all wastes
will be handled inside an enclosed building.
Ventilation air from the area of the plant where
waste deliveries are tipped and sorted will be
treated in the gasifier to destroy any odours.
What about noise levels?
The operations of the facility are fully enclosed
and don’t generate much noise beyond the
immediate vicinity of the Plant. As the plant is
located remotely from residential areas, noise
emissions will not be detectable in residential areas.
New Energy is completing computer modelling
of noise emissions to demonstrate that the
emissions meet the criteria defined in the
Environmental Protection (Noise) Regulations 1997
at all times. New Energy is also seeking to minimise
emissions by selecting low noise equipment.
How will water supply and usage be managed?
The New Energy Facility will use about
100,000 kL of water a year. Most of this
water is used for either cooling in the power
production process or wash-down water.
At this stage New Energy expects that water will be
obtained from the Port Hedland Scheme supply
but is investigating whether it can source either
bore water or recycled water if this is available.
What about wastewater?
The wastewater generated in the facility (such
as wash-down water) will be re-used in the
process. The small volumes of grey water and
sewage generated in the offices and ablution
block will be treated and reused appropriately or
disposed of in an approved septic tank system.
Is gasification just incineration?
While gasification and incineration are both
thermal processes, gasification provides significant
advantages over incineration. Incineration is
a mass burn technology with heat recovery to
produce steam and/or electricity. Combustion of
the waste may produce pollutant molecules such
as dioxins and furans or unburnt volatile organics.
Preventing the formation of pollutant molecules
is difficult when the entire mass of waste is burnt,
as the combustion process is harder to control.
In contrast, gasification converts the
carbonaceous molecules in the waste into a
syngas, which is then combusted in a gas burner
for generating steam and/or electricity.
The syngas is produced under strictly controlled
conditions, without the formation of fly ash. Burning
the carbonaceous molecules as a syngas, without
the presence of fly ash, significantly reduces the risk
of pollutant molecule formation. The combustion
is much more effective, and can be more tightly
controlled in a gas burner, rather than in association
with the solid waste. This ensures that gasification
minimises pollutant molecule formation in the
combustion process, unlike incineration.
What will the hours of operation be?
The gasification and power components will operate
24 hours per day, seven days per week, but waste
deliveries will be confined to between 5am and 5pm.
Will the facility have a visual effect on the area?
The New Energy facility will have little visual
effect on the area. The main structure will be
a colorbond steel clad building that will be
significantly smaller than the adjacent HBI Facility.
A stack will be constructed to emit cleaned
gases from the boiler. The body of the stack will
be contained in the building, with only the top
portion of the stack protruding from the roof.
What benefits will the facility bring?
• The facility will recover energy in the form of
electricity from waste streams that are currently
landfilled. The facility will produce enough
electricity to cater for around 21,000 households.
• The facility will generate renewable energy
to help reduce the State’s dependence
on fossil fuels and assist in providing a
stable power supply for Port Hedland.
• Greenhouse gas emissions will be
reduced by producing useful electricity
from waste instead of landfilling it.
• The facility will help with the closure of the
South Hedland Landfill, as the majority of Port
Hedland’s waste will be handled in the facility.
• The Entech world-leading technology
developed in WA will be showcased at the site
and replicated to reduce the environmental
impact of waste around Australia.
15
Teamwork
Positive Outcomes
What is the Waste Hierarchy?The waste hierarchy is a tool that
defines waste management
strategies in terms of their desirability
and environmental impact.
Reduce: the most desirable outcome for
waste management is to eliminate it at
source. If we don’t create the waste then
we don’t need to dispose of the waste.
Reuse: if we are able to reuse waste
then it does not need to be disposed
of. For example using a personal coffee
mug for your morning coffee rather
than using a disposable cup every day;
or fitting retreaded tyres to your car.
Recycle: processing waste materials
to make new products. Recycling
has become a way of life in Australia
for items such as paper, glass, some
plastics and other materials.
Recover Energy: all waste (solid, liquid or
gaseous) has an energy component that
can be recovered and reused. If waste
is sent to landfill this energy recovery
opportunity is essentially lost. Energy
recovery takes a lot of effort and should
only be utilised after the potential to
recycle or reuse the waste is exhausted.
Landfill: is the least desirable waste
management option in the hierarchy
because the opportunity is lost to
recycle, reduce or recover as above.
Australia and the Waste HierarchyIn order to illustrate how “energy
recovery” fits into the Australian waste
management structure, it’s important
to understand our current situation.
The following data was obtained from
the Environment Protection and Heritage
Council (EPHC) Waste Report 2010, which
was published in March 2010 using data
collected in the 2006/07 financial year.
Reduce: Australia produced 43.8
million tonnes of solid waste in 2006/07.
To put that into perspective that’s
2,080 kilograms – over 2 tonnes of
waste per person for the year. That
was an increase of 11.4 million tonnes
or 35% from 2002/03. The increase
is largely as a result of sustained
economic growth and the associated
consumption as incomes grow.
Reuse: Australia has been far more
successful at reusing waste water
than solid waste. Our water reuse
has steadily grown but opportunities
to simply reuse solid waste items are
limited particularly due to health
concerns and a more affluent society.
Recycle: the estimated recycling rate
for Australia for 2006/07 was 52%. That’s
pretty good by world standards and has
been driven largely by education and
the yellow top bin system. Recycling has
however only slightly increased from 1999
levels. That’s because 91% of Australian
households already recycle but there
is a limit to what can be recycled.
Recover Energy: there is virtually no
energy recovery in Australia, with
this segment of the waste hierarchy
representing only 1% of waste
management. At this stage, landfill
gas capture and anaerobic digestion
of waste are the only significant forms
of energy recovery practiced.
Waste Hierarchy
16
Landfill: Australia is still heavily reliant on the least
sustainable strategy for waste management – landfill
disposal. Between 2001 and 2007, the volume of waste
to landfill increased by 12%, despite Government
efforts to encourage waste reduction and waste
diversion through recycling and alternative waste
treatment technologies. In all, 21.3 million tonnes of
waste was dumped in landfills in Australia in 2007.
Why Energy Recovery or Waste to Energy is needed for Sustainable Waste Management.It’s important to point out that Energy Recovery
is not the total or sole solution for waste
management in Australia. However, the statistics
above show three inconvenient truths about our
behaviour and waste management. They are:
1. We are an increasingly wasteful society.
Reducing waste volume is the most effective and
sustainable action but we are not doing this.
2. Recycling is vital but not everything can
be recycled. There will always be residual
waste items that need to be managed
after recycling has been optimised.
3. Landfilling is still increasing despite our best efforts.
These three facts prove there is a need for clean
energy recovery processes from waste. We
can’t keep burying our waste in landfills and
ignoring the associated long term environmental
liabilities being created. Clean energy recovery
processes like gasification are vital to accelerate
our landfill diversion performance and our
progress towards a society. With
appropriate environmental conditions, energy
recovery plants can safely generate renewable
energy with minimal environmental impact,
as has been proven in many other developed
countries in the world. In fact it has been shown
that countries that adopt energy recovery also
have the highest rates of recycling in the world.
In summary, we need clean energy recovery systems
to achieve sustainable waste management, progress
towards a society and help reduce our
dependence on energy derived from fossil fuels.
The Waste Hierarchy
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle
Recover
Landfill
Changing our behaviour
Reusing material
Recycling and reprocessing materials
Recovering energy
Targeting
1
2
3
4
5
17
Provider of renewable energy
Communication
Sustainability
When people talk about sustainability, they often think of the environment. At New EnergyCorporation, we are committedto sustainable business practicesnot only for the environment,but also for the communitiesin which we operate, ouremployees and the economy.
The EnvironmentSustainable waste management practices have not
been widely adopted in Australia to date . In Western
Australia alone we still send over 3 million tonnes of
waste to landfill each year, and have one of the poorest
recycling rates in the country. Sending this waste to
landfill is not sustainable, as the embodied energy of the
waste is not recovered. Nor is it the best option for our
environment, as the methane emitted from landfill sites
contributes to Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions.
New Energy Corporation will divert a minimum of 100,000
tonnes of waste from landfill in the Pilbara each year. This
volume will increase as the Pilbara grows. This will help to
make the Pilbara a more sustainable place to live.
The Community and EmployeesNew Energy Corporation will work with the local
community in every aspect of the plant’s operation.
We will maintain open lines of communication to work
with the community and bring benefits to the people of
the region. The new plant will create 30 full-time jobs.
The EconomyNew Energy Corporation is supported by a team of
passionate investors, who want to deliver commercially
and environmentally sustainable solutions to waste
management and renewable energy delivery in WA.
18
Waste to energy
Responsibility
Future
Progressive
The establishment of a Waste to Energy Plant in Port Hedland will be of considerable value to the operation of South Hedland Landfill. It will assist the Town of Port
Hedland to meet future Waste Minimisation Standards by accepting combustible waste from the landfill for conversion to clean energy. - Town of Port Hedland
19
Solutions
Compliance
Energy generation and carbon emissions
Renewable Power: New Energy will
produce renewable power by processing
waste biomass. Any waste plastics, rubber
or other materials made from fossil fuels
are not biomass and therefore don’t
count as a source of renewable energy.
However, any material derived from a
plant or animal is biomass, and includes
waste wood, natural textiles, cellulose
fibre from paper & card and food waste.
New Energy estimates that biomass from
sources like these will represent up to 80%
of the waste processed, which means the
majority of New Energy’s power into the
grid will be classified as renewable energy.
Methane Emissions Avoidance: Methane is
21 times more damaging as a greenhouse
gas (GHG) than carbon dioxide. Bio-
degradable wastes put into a landfill will
rot in the landfill and produce methane.
If these wastes are instead diverted to
a waste to energy facility such as New
Energy’s, they will be converted to carbon
dioxide, which has a much lower GHG
impact. Hence diversion of organic waste
which would otherwise rot in landfill can
reduce the GHG impact of the waste.
Fossil Fuel Displacement: Each tonne of
waste processed in a New Energy facility
replaces the equivalent of approximately
0.3-0.5 tonnes of coal (depending on
waste type). This means that the emissions
resulting from mining/extracting the
fuel, transporting it, processing it and
burning it, are all avoided. At the same
time, each tonne of waste processed
by New Energy represents a tonne of
waste diverted from landfill, thereby
eliminating the significant atmospheric,
ground and water environmental impacts
caused by landfill waste disposal.
Size: The New Energy plant will export
13.5 MW to the electricity grid. The plant
will operate at the same rate, continuously
(24 hrs/day, 7 days/week), and over
one year produce 110,000 MWhr. This
is enough electricity to power 15,000
homes – enough to power a whole
town about the size of Port Hedland.
New Energy’s electricity will be available
continuously to power homes and
businesses. Based on renewable power
generation, fossil fuel replacement and
methane emissions reduction, New
Energy’s facility presents an opportunity
to reduce the GHG impacts of our ever-
increasing resource consumption.
In a portfolio of renewable energy
technologies, New Energy’s waste to
energy facility can provide baseload
(i.e. continuous and steady) power
to support other intermittent energy
sources such as solar and wind.
This allows for more flexibility in the
use of all renewable resources.
Supporting State and Federal Government
Initiatives: State Governments and the
Federal Government of Australia are
looking for opportunities to improve
sustainability and reduce our impact on
the environment. A New Energy Project
supports these initiatives, including:
• Australia’s legislated Renewable
Energy Target (RET) of 20%
renewable energy by 2020.
• The Waste Avoidance and
Resource Recovery Act (WARR).
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Our Goal
If you have any questions or would like to discuss
the project further, please contact:
New Energy Corporation
T: +61 8 9226 0722
Working to make the Pilbara more sustainable.
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Disclaimer
The information contained in this document is provided by New Energy Corporation in good faith. The Company believes the information to be accurate and current at the date of publication. The Company does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness or currency of the information provided.
New Energy Corporation is making a positive contribution to the Australian environment by printing on Revive – 100% recycled FSC® certified and carbon netural and Australian made paper. Sales of Revive provide funds for Landcare Australia and the restoration and replanting of landfill sites throughout Australia.
NEW ENERGy CORPORATION PTy LTD
Suite 1, 12 Parliament Place, West Perth, WA 6005PO Box 1036, West Perth, WA 6872P: +61 8 9226 0722 F: +61 8 9481 8023ABN: 16 139 310 053
www.newenergycorp.com.au