ARENA provides funding to Renergi waste-to-energy project

In Australia, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) announced A$3.9 million in funding to Renergi Pty Ltd (Renergi) for the development of the next phase of Renergi’s energy from waste technology in Collie, Western Australia.

The A$9.4 million demonstration plant is being developed by Renergi in partnership with the Shire of Collie and with A$2 million from the WA Government’s Collie Futures Industry Development Fund.

As part of the Project, Renergi has attracted investment from a consortium of investors closely linked to Sunshot Energy, an emerging energy company co-owned by Professor Ross Garnaut. This consortium will support the future commercialisation of the Renergi technology at other regional locations around Australia.

ARENA has previously funded Renergi to advance and refine their pyrolysis technology from pilot projects that have led to this project that will convert landfill waste and other biomass to energy and biochar. This patented technology was initially developed at Curtin University’s Fuels and Energy Technology Institute led by the then John Curtin Distinguished Professor Chun-Zhu Li with support from both ARENA and WA Government.

Renergi will design, build and operate a 1.5 metric tons per hour demonstration scale distributed energy from waste plant that will incorporate Renergi’s patented grinding pyrolysis technology. The plant will convert 4,000 tons per year of municipal solid waste, which would otherwise go to landfill, and 8,000 tons per year of forestry and agricultural wastes to crude pyrolysis oil and biochar. While the crude pyrolysis oil will be sold as a liquid fuel for local industry, the biochar will be sold as a soil conditioner.