An Australian-United States joint venture has chosen Collie, Western Australia as its preferred site for a new facility that uses high-temperature technology to produce renewable diesel fuel from biomass.
Australian company Frontier Impact Group has partnered with US-based REEP Development to expand the use of the pyrolysis technology into the Asia-Pacific region.
According to State Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan, the high-temperature pyrolysis technology involves burning biomass or waste to produce syngas, which can then be used to produce 100 per cent renewable diesel fuel.
“The US is home to the only large-scale plant of this kind in the world, with the capacity to produce up to 27 million litres of renewable diesel fuel and 10,000 tonnes of biochar each year,” she said.
The Western Australian Government has announced $100,000 in funding from the Collie Futures Small Grants Program for a feasibility study to assess the viability of the project.
If the project gets off the ground, Ms MacTiernan said it would create 48 plant jobs, 30 construction jobs and 120 indirect jobs.
“Through the Collie Futures Fund, we are beginning to see some very exciting initiatives for boosting the local economy, including this unique proposal for producing renewable diesel fuel,” she said.
“Bringing sustainable technologies and investments such as this is a fantastic way to help Collie, and WA, transition lower carbon outcomes through new industries.”
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