$1.5b investment into Parkes energy-from-waste facility

A consortium, led by Tribe Infrastructure Group (Tribe), will invest AUD$1.5 billion to build an energy-from-waste facility in Parkes, in the Central West region of New South Wales.

The investment follows the signing of the Australia-United Arab Emirates (UAE) Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in November 2024.

The Tribe consortium was selected by the NSW Government to build, own, and operate an energy-from-waste facility in the Parkes Special Activation Precinct – the Parkes Energy Recovery Facility.

Subject to approvals and once complete, the facility is expected to treat about 600,000 tonnes of waste per annum and generate 60 megawatts of baseload electricity.

The facility will bring an AUD$1.5 billion investment into regional Australia through the Tribe-led consortium, whose major shareholder is Tadweer Group.

Tadweer Group provides waste management services in Abu Dhabi and pioneers unlocking waste as an underutilised resource with ambitious international goals, striving to make significant contributions to sustainable waste management beyond the UAE.

Edward Nicholas, Chief Executive Officer of Development for Tribe Infrastructure Group, said Parkes Energy Recovery is poised to play an important role in bringing proven, world-leading technology to Australia. It will help address New South Wales’ waste crisis while benefiting the Australian economy, communities, and the environment.

“Energy-from-Waste helps change the way we view and manage waste – to see it as a resource that can be used, instead of something to be discarded,” Nicholas said.

“If approved, this facility would divert waste from landfills and produce energy to power homes, businesses, and communities across New South Wales.”

Sydney’s landfill space is forecast to run out by 2030. NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe has previously stated, “We are now at a point where if we don’t take urgent action, our red bins won’t be able to be collected in a few years.”

Parkes Energy Recovery will not only play an important role in solving the state’s waste crisis – it will also drive investment and jobs growth in Parkes and the surrounding region, delivering 400 jobs during construction and 50 ongoing jobs during operation.

Don Farrell, Minister for Trade and Tourism, said the Albanese Labor Government worked hard to conclude a trade deal with the UAE – its first free trade agreement in the Middle East – delivering on a commitment to open new lucrative markets for Australian exporters.

“The agreement will remove tariffs on 99 per cent of Australia’s exports to the UAE, which means more higher-paying jobs for Australian workers, more opportunities for Australian businesses and cheaper bills for Australian households.”