First biomass boiler trial results are in

Results from AMPC’s first biomass boiler trial site are in. Late last year AMPC delivered a biomass boiler to a JBS Riverina meat processing facility as part of its investment into sustainable fuel options. 

The pilot demonstrated how different types of biomass, sourced through a circular economy approach, contributed to lowering energy costs, energy emissions, and achieving energy reliability. 

JBS Sustainability Engineer Michael Lang said, “During the trial we monitored the feasibility of various blends of available biomass. We successfully used paunch materials (usually identified as a waste stream) in multi-fuel biomass blends of up to 80 per cent paunch / 20 per cent woodchip.  

“The ability to use this site generated biomass together with externally sourced biomass such as wood chips has provided energy to the plant at sub $2/GJ. Costs to supply thermal energy to the site have substantially increased with both natural gas and coal prices rising sharply over the last 12–18 months. The ability to replace these fossil fuels with a lower carbon emission biomass alternative, using purpose-built boilers is now a genuine possibility.”

AMPC Program Manager Matthew Deegan said, “Using locally sourced and on-site sustainable biomass fuels can include paunch, sludges, unrecyclable wood, woodchip, nut shells, saw dust, or agri-wastes, as long as the final fuel blend meets the boiler fuel specifications. 

“Australian red meat processors are serious about their transition to clean energy. Since we started this project, processor use of bioenergy has overtaken on-site coal use as the sectors third largest source of energy, behind grid gas and grid electricity.” 

Using biomass can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 98 per cent compared to coal, and by 96 per cent compared to natural gas.

The pilot system has been operating in NSW and will now move to other sites throughout Australia.