Innovation

Australian Paper Maryvale (APM) has just begun it’s innovative journey towards sustainable energy, through launching a 7.5 Million dollar feasibility study into creating a power source from waste diverted from landfill, in partnership with State and Federal Governments. The purpose of this study is to investigate the method of conversion to energy, and also viability. Thermal conversion of municipal solid waste (MSW) into energy is prevalent in Europe. However this feasibility study is only the second to be launched in Australia, the scale of the project at APM is larger than the other project being investigated in Mount Piper Power Station, NSW.

Inspiration

Murray Ellis, Process Technology Manager at APM said in an interview “This project would address our (APM) energy security".This project would be implemented to replace existing gas powered power generation at APM, so having this new MSW power generation would eliminate the reliance on fossil fuels. Instead “The proposal is to source the MSW from Southeast Melbourne and Gippsland” diverting large amounts of waste from Melbourne's almost full to capacity landfills. The largest benefit of this diversion is a “potential to remove 650,000 tonnes of MSW from landfill each year,” this “could reduce Greenhouse Gases by 500,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent each year”. This diversion and reduction in CO2 equivalents helps to make the case as this energy being cleaner than existing methods and sustainable.

Overall impact

One of the huge benefits of a project like this is the diversion of waste going to landfill. One of the large problems with Landfill is methane is generated in large amounts. As methane has a bigger impact on the greenhouse effect, than CO2, this is particularly problematic. So APM in partnership with both Australian Federal Government and Victoria State government, are taking action to reduce this dependence. Removing 500,000 Tonnes of CO2 equivalent is a huge amount if this project goes ahead as predicted, and just from diverting the waste stream.

The waste system in Australia unfortunately is very far away from being a closed loop system. The MSW generation will introduce more sustainability to the loop. This new infrastructure “also enables the possibility of other developments at Maryvale in the future – such as Biorefinery development.” Biorefinery products use biological components to create new substances that can be used in place of crude oil derivatives. This process requires additional energy that currently isn’t viable but with the MSW generator the energy requirements would be achievable.

Business benefit

This benefits the business through the removal of an estimated 8 million AUD a year bill for gas to generate power for the plant. This plant could also increase the power production of the mill and introduce revenue stream from re supplying power to the grid. A new revenue stream could be opened up in the form of gate fees for taking the waste. It also reduces the wasted return train trip from the docks of Melbourne, as currently it returns empty but there is a possibility that it could return with MSW for the generator.

Social and environmental benefit

Ultimately this “feasibility study will examine all the aspects related to the project – to make sure that it stacks up economically, environmentally and socially.” APM wants to be able to sustainably conduct this project to meet the needs of them as a business but also society’s needs. A large need for society is a clean livable planet and the environmental aspect of the feasibility study will ensure that all 3 areas can be met in this project. This project will be the first of its kind in Australia, no other Australian manufacturer is investing in this technology. Hopefully this will pave the way for manufacturing companies to show the initiative to investigate sustainable energy. In a country where coal is so cheap it will take industry to make the shift to sustainable Energy generation.

Interview

Murray Ellis, Process Technology Manager- Recovery