Australian Paper has announced a partnership with SUEZ to develop the $600 million Maryvale Mill Energy from Waste (EfW) project following the successful completion of its feasibility study. The $7.5 million study was co-funded with the Australian and Victorian Governments. Source: Timberbiz
“Australian Paper is committed to our mission of Sustainable Growth for the Next Generation. As the largest industrial user of natural gas in Victoria and a significant energy consumer, we must develop alternative baseload energy sources to maintain our future competitiveness,” said Mr Peter Williams, Australian Paper’s Chief Operating Officer.
“Creating Energy from Waste is a perfect fit with our operations because in addition to electricity we require significant quantities of thermal energy to generate steam. An EfW facility at Maryvale would secure ongoing investment at the site, support employment growth in the Latrobe Valley and also provide the missing link in Victoria’s waste management infrastructure.”
Australian Paper will now partner with SUEZ, a global leader in waste management, to secure the long-term access to waste required to power the facility.
“SUEZ currently operates more than 55 EfW facilities globally and is a world leader in the field. We are proud to be partnering with Australian Paper on this innovative project which will be a landmark for Victoria’s emerging Energy from Waste sector,” said Mr Mark Venhoek, SUEZ Australia and New Zealand CEO.
Australian Paper’s study examined the technical, social, environmental, and commercial feasibility of establishing an EfW facility at Maryvale. The 18-month study found the facility would operate at a high efficiency of 58% due to the Mill’s need for baseload steam and electricity all year round.
It would also divert approximately 650,000 tonnes of residual waste from Melbourne and Gippsland landfill, saving 543,000 tonnes of carbon emissions per annum. That amount of rubbish would almost fill the MCG and is roughly half of Victoria’s annual household rubbish.
Importantly, the new facility would allow the return of up to 4 Petajoules of natural gas per annum and 30 MWh per hour of electricity to Victoria’s retail energy market.
A recent economic impact study from Western Research Institute has confirmed that the EfW facility would support an average of 1046 Victorian jobs pa during the three-year construction period and more than 900 when operational.
Australian Paper and SUEZ will seek to finalise waste supply arrangements for the project by 2020. Construction of the EfW facility is planned to begin soon after with completion expected in 2024.
However, according to an article published this month in The Age there is a legal challenge to the plant’s approval coming from Environmental Justice Australia which will be heard in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
According to Environmental Justice Australia’s website with respect to the Maryvale Mill proposal … “there is a big gap in Government policy and EPA guidelines about the management and operation of incinerators.
Yet Richard Wynn, the Victorian Planning Minister, has already determined that the proposal does not need to go through an Environmental Effects Assessment to work out the impact of the plan on the environment and the heath of the community.
This decision appears to have been made on the basis of the documents provided by Australian Paper without any independent assessment or consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services.”
