Australian Renewable Energy Agency grants Renergi $5.2 million for pilot plant

In Australia, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) announced $5.2 million funding for Renergi to design and construct an innovative pilot scale biofuel production facility Perth.

ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said the project would result in simple, cost effective production of renewable energy from biomass.

“Renergi was created out of Curtin University to commercialise some of its bioenergy ideas. Renergi is aiming to scale up existing technology successfully developed with ARENA funding support,” Frischknecht said.

“These projects demonstrate how ARENA’s unique role supports renewable energy technologies across the innovation chain, advancing them from the laboratory to the field.

“A 100 kg per hour biomass conversion (pyrolysis) unit will be designed and constructed along with a complementary 20 litre per hour biorefinery unit.

“Biomass like agricultural waste and mallee can be used to produce products that replace fossil fuels, including bio-oil and advanced biofuels.

“Renergi’s approach would allow green bio-crude to be produced by conversion units at the source of feedstocks and refined into high quality transport biofuels at a large central refinery.”

The $12.9 million project is scheduled for completion in October 2017.