The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is providing $2.1 million in funding for a project that will see a Goulburn abattoir join forces with Queensland energy provider ReNu Energy to turn its waste into energy.
According to ARENA’s statement, ReNu Energy will use the funding to design, construct, own and operate a biogas facility at Southern Meats’ existing abattoir facility which processes sheep and lambs, using around 20,000 KWh of electricity every day.
ReNu Energy CEO Craig Ricato said the $5.75 million project consists of an anaerobic digestion process where the abattoir waste is treated in a covered lagoon to biologically break down the effluent to produce biogas.
“This project is a fantastic example of waste to energy generation, and we are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with an excellent counterparty such as Southern Meats,” he said.
“We also thank ARENA for its contribution to the project. ARENA plays an extremely important role in assisting companies to demonstrate and commercialise renewable technologies such as anaerobic digestion.”
“ReNu Energy sees great potential in the Australian bioenergy market, in both the agribusiness, food processing and municipal waste sectors. We look forward to continuing to apply the knowledge and IP that we have in the construction and operation of anaerobic digestion projects, as we grow our portfolio over the coming years.”
ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said bioenergy provides the livestock processing sector with the opportunity to reduce exposure to energy prices.
“Bioenergy also has environmental benefits for being able to re-use the effluent rather than disposing of the waste,” he concluded.
