A NEW energy facility being constructed in Carisbrook will take waste that would otherwise go to landfill and harness it into an energy supply.
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The waste-to-energy gasification plant is designed to convert waste timber into a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen known as Syngas.
Products such as woodchips can go into one end of the machine, before coming out the other side as Syngas, which can be used in a reciprocating engine, such as a car engine.
Managing director of the project from Australian Renewable Energy Parks Ray Gattis said it was among the leading innovations of renewable energies.
He said the plant, estimated to cost about
$6 million, could be operational by the end of the year.
“We’ve got to construct concrete stands and some shedding,” he said. “But the plant itself is actually shipped out here in containers and assembled like a Meccano set. We need to do testing for about six to eight weeks and then it will be fully operational.”
Mr Gattis said the plant could pose a long-term solution for waste management in the region.
“I think most councils are looking at it, we went small scale because we thought that was an appropriate place to start.
“The aim ultimately would be to do away with landfill altogether.”
Central Goldfields Shire mayor Barry Rinaldi said the shire was excited by the opportunities of the project being built at the former Penney and Lang abattoir site.
“All councils have got a massive problem with storing waste and it is one that needs to be taken on as a global problem,” he said.
“We have the potential of using waste from Bendigo or Ballarat, or even trucks out of Melbourne to turn into energy... the potential of leading the way in terms of advancing technology of the future, but allows us to be a bit of a leading light.”
Mr Gattis said composting of suitable wastes from the plant would produce high quality fertiliser that can be returned to surrounding farming lands.