Bioenergy Australia Membership¹ Update

The Bioenergy Australia membership now includes 44 organisations, with recent new members being the Queensland EPA (Sustainable Industries), Enecon Pty Ltd, BioForest Ltd and the Forest Products Commission of WA. Bioenergy Australia wishes to further expand its membership and invites interested organisations to contact the Bioenergy Australia Manager, Dr Stephen Schuck on tel/fax (02) 9416 9246 or email: sschuck@bigpond.net.au if your organisation is interested in joining this bioenergy forum. Bioenergy Australia recently set up a new membership tier to cater for universities and organisations with an annual turnover of less than $2 million per annum.

Bioenergy Australia 2001 Conference

Following its very successful inaugural conference in December 2000, Bioenergy Australia is planning to hold another conference, again on the Gold Coast, Queensland, from 3-4 December, with an optional technical tour on 5 December. If you would like to provide a paper and presentation, a poster, sponsor the conference, or participate in the trade exhibition, please contact Steve Schuck, Bioenergy Australia Manager. Tel/Fax: (02) 9416 9246,

Email: sschuck@bigpond.net.au.

Bioenergy Australia 2000 Conference Proceedings Available

Bioenergy Australia has a few sets of the Proceedings from the December 2000 two day Bioenergy Australia 2000 conference available for sale. These are being sold for AUD $110 (including GST, postage within Australia and handling) each. If you are interested in purchasing a set, please contact Steve Schuck on tel/fax (02) 9416 9246. Email: sschuck@bigpond.net.au.

IEA Bioenergy Participation by Australia

Bioenergy Australia is the vehicle for Australia's participation in the International Energy Agency's (IEA) Bioenergy program. Bioenergy Australia is providing Australia's annual membership fees and other support for five current Tasks:

• Task 30-Short Rotation Crops for Bioenergy Systems
• Task 31-Conventional Forestry Systems for Sustainable Production of Bioenergy
• Task 32-Biomass Combustion & Co-firing
• Task 36-Energy from Integrated Solid Waste Management Systems
• Task 38-Greenhouse Gas Balances of Biomass & Bioenergy Systems

These Tasks run from 2001-2003. Subgroups from the Bioenergy Australia membership have formed to participate in these Tasks, with each Task selecting a National Team Leader to co-ordinate involvement. National Team Leaders are: Task 30- Dr Tom Baker, Centre for Forest Tree Technology (NRE), Task 31- Dr John Raison, CSIRO Forestry and Forest Products; Task 32- Peter Coombes, Delta Electricity; Task 36- Paul Wootton, Brightstar Environmental; and Task 38- Dr Annette Cowie, State Forests NSW.

Should you or your organisation wish to obtain information on IEA Bioenergy or participation in its Tasks, please contact Steve Schuck, the Bioenergy Australia Manager and Australia's representative on the Executive Committee of IEA Bioenergy. Tel/fax: (02)-9416-9246, or email: sschuck@bigpond.net.au. IEA Bioenergy has its home page at URL: http://www.ieabioenergy.com which provides links to the IEA Bioenergy Task sites and information such as its Annual Report, Strategic Plan and newsletters. With sufficient additional support, Australia could expand its participation to other Tasks, such as the Liquid Fuels Task and the Gasification Task.

IEA Bioenergy Meetings in Australia

Task 38, Greenhouse Gas Balances of Biomass and Bioenergy Systems held a very successful international workshop and study tour from 26-30 March 2001 in Canberra. The workshop title was 'Accounting Methods, Emissions Trading, and Cop6 Negotiations Related to Bioenergy, Wood Products and Carbon Sequestration'. March 26 & 27 was the technical tour, which included a visit to the Visy pulp and paper mill, which is nearing completion at Tumut, NSW. Twenty-one formal papers were presented within four sessions entitled:

• Carbon accounting for forestry and land use
• Carbon accounting of wood products and biofuels
• Managed forests for wood products, carbon sequestration and/or bioenergy; their role in greenhouse gas policy (COP negotiations)
• Trading in carbon credits from bioenergy and sequestration projects.

For further information contact the Task 38 National Team Leader, Dr Annette Cowie on Tel: (02) 9872 0138.

Task 36- Energy from Integrated Solid Waste Management Systems is planning to hold a meeting in Australia in May 2002. The Executive Committee of IEA Bioenergy is also scheduled to hold a future meeting in Australia in May 2003.

Mandatory Renewable Energy Target

The Federal Government's Mandatory Renewable Energy Target commenced operation on 1 April 2001. The underpinning legislation, the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000, the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Charge Act 2000, and the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Regulations 2001 require the generation of an additional 9,500 GWh per year renewable electricity by 2010. Information on the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target and the legislation may be found on the Australian Greenhouse Office's website at: www.greenhouse.gov.au/markets/2percent_ren.

A number of amendments to the Regulations are now being proposed, and industry and members of the public are now being invited to make written submissions before 10am 6 July 2001 to the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator. The proposed amendments include changes to the definition of native forest and plantation and are on the web site of the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator (ORER) at: http://www.orer.gov.au. Queries should be directed to the ORER on tel: (02) 6274 2192.

Greenhouse Gas Abatement Program (GGAP) Round One Ethanol Projects

The outcome of Round One of the $400 million GGAP program has been announced by the Federal Government. Two ethanol projects will receive grants:

• $7.35 million for an ethanol plant in north Queensland. The funding will support the Douglas Shire Council and the Mossman Central Mill in a $33.91 million project that will include the development of an ethanol plant using by-products from the sugar mill, and stepping up the level of production using sweet sorghum in later years. The ethanol will be used as a renewable transportation fuel. The project will also include processing of waste from the sugar mill, and elsewhere, into liquid fertiliser, and the planting of 3,000 hectares of trees on marginal grazing land. As well as producing biodiversity benefits, the plantation will produce thinnings for use in the production of renewable energy and saw logs.
• $8.8 million to BP Australia Ltd to distribute ethanol-based fuel for Queensland's east-coast market. The project will include a feasibility study to allow BP to upgrade its Bulwer Island refinery to blend ten percent ethanol with petrol. The full $50-$60 million project would involve installing infrastructure needed for storing, blending and delivering ethanol-based fuel. BP plans to call tenders for the long-term supply of ethanol derived from biomass.

Greenhouse Gas Abatement Program (GGAP) Round Two

The second round of GGAP has opened, with the Australian Greenhouse Office now accepting proposals from incorporated bodies located in Australia for this $400 million program. Proponents were required to register before 8 June to submit a proposal, as only registered proposals will be assessed for funding. Final proposals must be submitted prior to 2 July 2001. The Web site is: http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/ggap/round2add.html

NSW Agricultural Waste Resource Study

The Sustainable Energy Development Authority of NSW (SEDA) has completed a study assessing the availability of agricultural waste biomass in NSW. The study, entitled "The Potential for Electricity Generation Using Dry Agricultural By-products in New South Wales" was undertaken by consultants URS Australia. The study used agricultural production data to map the quantities and distribution of agricultural by-products across the State, and includes concentrated wastes such as cotton gin trash, and distributed residues, such as straws. The study includes analysis and discussion of the different agricultural

industries and resource types, comprehensive maps, and a detailed project model. The model includes different technology and cost scenarios and financial modelling. Ten case studies are selected from the study data for examination using the model.

Copies of the study are available on CD-ROM from SEDA, at a cost of $110. Contact SEDA for an order form on tel: (02) 9249 6100, or email: seda@seda.nsw.gov.au.

Bioenergy Projects Receive SEDA Funding

The NSW Minister for Energy, Kim Yeadon, announced the fifth round of funding under SEDA's Renewables Investment Program in April, 2001. Four of the successful seven renewable energy projects are bioenergy projects. SEDA is offering a total of over $3.5 million for the seven renewable energy projects. Bioenergy projects and recipients being offered funding are:

• Wagga Kooringal Sewage Treatment Plant Cogeneration Micro-Turbine, Harris Energy Solutions ($25,000 grant).
• Leeton Rice Mill Waste-to-Energy Project, Thiess ($1 million grant).
• Bulk Transfer System of Sugar Cane Waste to Energy, NSW Sugar Milling Co-op ($1 million loan).
• Nowra Green Waste Power Plant, Energy Equipment ($750,000 grant).

For more information on the Renewables Investment Program, or how to apply, call SEDA on 9249 6100 or email seda@seda.nsw.gov.au.

Queensland Sustainable Energy Innovation Fund

The Queensland Sustainable Energy Innovation Fund (QSEIF) is calling for project proposals for it fourth round of funding, which closes on 31 August 2001. Proposals are being sought which would lead directly to commercialising new sustainable energy products or technologies by Queensland based businesses, would create employment, lead to export and value-adding opportunities, lead to the adoption of sustainable energy technologies and practices in Queensland, and improve energy efficiency, utilise renewable energy sources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to sustainability objectives.

Bioenergy related projects that have been funded in previous rounds are:

• Bagasse Management at Sugar Mill - Development of technology for storing, handling and dewatering bulk bagasse so that sugar mills can optimise power generation and export to the grid. Mackay Sugar Cooperative Association. Funding from QSEIF: $80,000.
• Biogas for Boiler Fuel at Meatworks - Modification of boiler at a meatworks to use biogas collected by new recovery system installed on anaerobic waste pond. Quantum Power Pty Ltd. Funding from QSEIF: $91,000
• Methanol production from biogas - Development of a pilot scale reactor to convert biogas from landfill into methanol (for motor fuel or chemical use), and trial the unit at a landfill site. University of Queensland. Funding from QSEIF: $94,500.
• Municipal waste for energy production - Feasibility study into using Rockhampton City Council's "green waste" in a process which produces carbon products and energy (electricity and/or steam). Rockhampton City Council. Funding from QSEIF: $61,000
• Ethanol project at CSR's Sarina sugar mill, where 15 percent ethanol will be emulsified with diesel and used to power trucks and locomotives that haul sugar cane and sugar products. Funding from QSEIF: $75,000.

Inquiries should be made to Dr Martin Gellender at the Sustainable Industries Division of the Queensland EPA. Tel: (07) 3224 8606 or email: martin.gellender@env.qld.gov.au

Macquarie Generation Bioenergy 'Green Warrants' International Sale

Bioenergy Australia member, Macquarie Generation has announced the first international sale of Green Warrants arising from its biomass co-firing program at Liddell and Bayswater Power Stations, in the upper Hunter Valley, NSW. Japanese companies, Chubu Electric Power Company and Tomen Corporation have purchased the equivalent of 2000 tonnes of carbon dioxide savings created by the co-firing program pioneered in Australia at Liddell Power Station in 1999.

Chubu Electric Power Company is Japan's third largest electricity supplier and Tomen Corporation is headquartered in Tokyo with major international interests including the Bulga/Saxonvale coal operation in the Hunter Valley.

Biomass co-firing uses waste wood as a supplement for coal, to produce the steam that drives the turbo-generators. In 1999-2000, Macquarie Generation produced more than 60,000-megawatt hours of electricity from the biomass component of co-firing. In 2000-2001, Macquarie Generation has targeted the production of 200,000-megawatt hours of biomass-fired electricity from their Liddell and Bayswater Power Stations.

Since 1999, Green Warrants have been sold to domestic electricity retailers in response to greenhouse gas reduction measures initiated by the NSW Government by the NSW Electricity Supply Act.

For further information contact: Jim Devine, Public Affairs Manager, Macquarie Generation. Phone: (02) 4968 7499, Email: jim.devine@macgen.com.au

10 MW Rice Husk Bioenergy Plant for Deniliquin, NSW

Stanwell Corporation Limited has announced it proposes to develop a $26 million 10 MW rice husk fired power plant at Ricegrower's Cooperative Limited's Deniliquin mill in NSW's Riverina district. Stanwell Corporation conducted a detailed feasibility study in late 2000 - early 2001. The power plant will operate year round, powering the rice mill and exporting excess electricity to the electricity grid. The plant will generate more than 78,000 MWh annually, and will combust more than 110,000 tonnes rice husks per year, or 14 tonnes per hour. The Deniliquin Rice Mill is the largest in the southern hemisphere.

For more information contact Mark Sinclair of Stanwell Corporation on tel: (03) 9249 9611 or email: msinclai@stanwell.com.

Auspine Announces 60 MW Bioenergy Cogeneration Plant

Bioenergy Australia member, Auspine has announced it plans to construct a $90 million, 60 MW bioenergy plant at Tarpeena in southeast South Australia. The plant will proceed upon completion of a feasibility study and finance raising, with the plant scheduled to become operational by summer 2003. Auspine is a fully integrated plantation products company, with its primary business being sawmilling, timber preservation and woodchip export to Japan. Auspine is currently the world's largest exporter of softwood plantation woodchips. The power plant will be fueled from wood residues from Auspine's harvesting operations and externally sourced biomass. The bioenergy plant would be Australia's largest single renewable energy site. Auspine is considering the development of an energy park adjacent to the Tarpeena mill to enable new industry to take commercial advantage of the heat and electricity generated at the power station. Auspine is also considering plans to complement the biomass plant by adding a natural gas-fired co-generation power plant, given existing plans for a natural gas pipeline from Victoria to Adelaide.

Primergy Secures UK Renewable Business and Technology

Primergy Limited has announced that it has purchased two UK-based renewable energy companies, securing interests in 70 MW of 'green power' project opportunities and ownership of an advanced biomass thermal gasification technology. Ambient Energy Limited and ESD-Ventures Limited will now form the basis of Primergy Europe, with the acquisitions also providing new technology options for Primergy's Australian operations.

Ambient Energy delivers Primergy a portfolio comprising 70 MW of biomass, wind and hydro renewable energy project opportunities, with power purchase agreements guaranteed under long term NFFO (Non Fossil Fuel Obligation) contracts held directly with the UK Government. Planning approval has been granted for the first project, a 5.5 MW biomass energy plant at Suffolk, with approval for a second 5.5 MW plant at North Wiltshire pending. Acquisition of ESD-Ventures gives Primergy ownership of an advanced thermal gasification technology, now being demonstrated in the UK. Primergy and its partners are developing their waste-to-energy Re-Organic Conversion Centres or Re-OCC with projects reported to be under active consideration by municipalities and waste authorities in four States.

On 7 June Primergy announced it had successfully completed a significant capital raising through fellow Bioenergy Australia member, CVC Renewable Energy Equity Fund Ltd (CVC REEF). This capital raising was approved at the company's Annual General Meeting on 31 May 2001. For further information see: www.primergy.com.au

Biofact

All plant biomass has a similar composition of approximately 50% Carbon, 44% Oxygen and 6 % Hydrogen.

Biomass on the Internet

The Internet provides a valuable source of information on biomass and allied topics. Below are some Internet addresses to supplement the addresses given in the previous thirteen issues of the Bioenergy Australia newsletters. These lists are consolidated as electronic links on Bioenergy Australia's web page at www.users.bigpond.net.au/bioenergyaustralia

Ethanol from Cellulose

http://www.daviesand.com/Perspectives/Forest_Products/Ethanol/

Western Australian Technology & Industry Advisory Council (TIAC)report, "Biotechnology West: Strengths, Weaknesses and Opportunities"

http://www.wa.gov.au/tiac

Conversion and Resource Evaluation Ltd.

http://www.care.demon.co.uk/

Solar Energy Systems prospectus

http://www.sesltd.com.au

Sustainable energy industry egroup http://www.egroups.com/group/SustainableEnergyIndustry

Spore reference to Bioenergy Australia

http://www.agricta.org/Spore/spore88/spore88_links.html

Ethanol - make your own book

http://buffalo-creek-press.com/alcohol.htm

Mallee Sustainable Farming Project

http://www.msfp.org.au

Pure Energy Corporation (oxygenated diesel)

http://www.pure-energy.com

FAO 1985 Industrial charcoal Making Report http://www.fao.org/docrep/X5555E/x5555e00.htm - Contents

Corporation For Future Resources (anaerobic digestion of Leucaena - energy crop)

http://CorpFutRes.com

Resource Development Associates

http://www.biogasworks.com

Detroit Stoker hydrograte in Argentina for burning sunflower hulls and peanut hulls

http://www.unitedindustrial.com/media/UICAR98.pdf

Bioenergy International newsletter

http://www.bioenergyinternational.com

Future Energy Resources Company (FERCO) projects

http://www.future-energy.com/Projects.asp

Great Lakes Regional Biomass Energy Program publications

http://www.cglg.org/projects/biomass/pub/index.html

The Manual for the Home and Farm Production of Alcohol Fuel http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_manual/manual_ToC.html

ISES Solar World Congress in Adelaide

http://www.unisa.edu.au/ises2001congress/home.html

Junk mail to energy briquettes in Journal of Chemical Innovation Feb 2001 issue

http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/ci/31/i02/html/02mcdougal.html

AFDC - Alternative Fuel News - Vol. 5, No. 1.

http://afdc3.nrel.gov/documents/altfuelnews/5_1contents.html

Biodiesel - home made processor

http://home.swbell.net/scrof/Biod_Proc.html

Bioenergy International

http://www.bioenergyinternational.com/

Lessons Learned from Existing Biomass Power Plants Report http://www.westbioenergy.org/lessons/

AWARE (Australians Working for Alternative and Renewable Energy)

http://www.awareonline.org.

Guardian article on Industrial Hemp

http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/science/story/0,3605,488409,00.html

CREST Bioenergy List archive

http://www.crest.org/discussion/bioenergy/current/

Web-agri search engine

http://www.web-agri.com/

Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) - Energy Crops

Scheme - UK government support scheme for establishing energy crops

http://www.maff.gov.uk/erdp/guidance/energydet/energyindex.htm

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) - £100m for renewable energy

http://www.dti.gov.uk/ministers/speeches/hain200301a.html

Wood waste

http://www.wood.wasteboards.nsw.gov.au

Journey to Forever Biofuels library

http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library.html

Greenhouse Gas Abatement Program Round 2

http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/ggap/round2add.html

UNSW energy seminar presentations (e.g. Outhred)

http://energy.ee.unsw.edu.au/

American Bioenergy Association (ABA)

http://www.biomass.org

Association of Diesel Specialists

http://www.diesel.org

Australian Biodiesel Power

http://www.bio-diesel.com.au/

National Biodiesel Board (USA)

http://www.nbb.org/

Biodiesel and Petroleum Diesel Life Cycles Overview

http://www.ott.doe.gov/biofuels/docs/lifecycle.html

Biodiesel Facts

http://www.biofuels.nrel.gov/pdfs/biodiesl.pdf

Biodiesel Resource

http://www.webconx.com/biodiesel.htm

Pacific Biodiesel

http://www.biodiesel.com/

Pure Energy Corporation

http://www.pure-energy.com/

Southern States Power Co

http://www.sspowerco.com/

University of Idaho's Biodiesel Information

http://www.uidaho.edu/bae/biodiesel/

World Energy Alternatives (biodiesel, ethanol products and services)

http://www.worldenergy.net/

Australasian Virtual Engineering Library

http://avel.edu.au

Technology Review on microturbines and fuel cells

http://www.technologyreview.com/magazine/may01/fairley.asp

USDA Biobased Products

http://www.usda-biobasedproducts.net/

New Uses Council

http://www.newuses.org

IEA Bioenergy Sept 1999 Task 17 Auburn USA Meeting Proceedings

http://bioenergy.ornl.gov/pubs/international.html

Wood Fired Turbine (on SMEC-HGM site)

http://www.smechgm.com.au

New York Power Authority fuel cell using sewage gas

http://www.nypa.gov/html/research.htm

NYPA to Begin Testing Clean-Power Micro-Turbine Generator

http://www.nypa.gov/press/2000/000417b.htm

BBI International (ethanol)

http://www.bbiethanol.com

NEMMCO Statement of Opportunities 2001 - Executive Summary

http://nemmco.com.au/publications/soo/410-0011.pdf

WebConX (links to biodiesel, ethanol, methane and biomass technologies and issues)

http://www.webconx.com/2000/biofuel/biofuel.htm

CADDET Renewable Energy Technical Brochure 134, Batch Anaerobic Digestion of Green Waste in a BIOCEL Converter (Netherlands)

http://www.caddet-re.org/assets/no134.pdf

CADDET Renewable Energy Technical Brochure 136, A Multi-Purpose Bioenergy Plant Producing Electricity, Heat and Biopellets (Sweden)

http://www.caddet-re.org/assets/no136.pdf

CADDET Renewable Energy Technical Brochure 137, New Energy-fro-Waste Plant in Dundee, Scotland, (UK)

http://www.caddet-re.org/assets/no137.pdf

CADDET Renewable Energy Technical Brochure 139, Installation of a Biomass-fuelled Boiler at a Coal-fired CHP Plant (Denmark)

http://www.caddet-re.org/assets/no139.pdf

BioGas Works (P Lusk - anaerobic digestion)

http://www.biogasworks.com

Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops (AAIC)

http://www.aaic.org/

USDA Web-based workshop: "Opportunities in Agriculture: A Vision for USDA's Food and Agricultural Research in the 21st Century"

http://nationalacademies.org/banr/active_projects/agopps

Burlington, Vermont gasifier

http://news.excite.com/news/pr/010516/ga-ferco-biomass-here

'Biogas Technology - Solution in Search of Its Problem, A Study of Small-Scale Rural Technology Introduction and Integration' thesis.

http://www.he.gu.se/dot

Whole tree 50 MW plant feasibility study (13pp)

http://www.doa.state.wi.us/depb/boe/publications/pdf_files/wtefinal.pdf

Purdue University Center for New Crops and Plant Products

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop

"Harvesting Clean Energy for Rural Development - Ethanol" Report

http://climatesolutions.org/Harvesting/EthanolReport.pdf

Oregon Department of Energy's Oregon Cellulose-Ethanol study http://www.energy.state.or.us/biomass/study.htm

ENVIRO 2002 conference - Melbourne 7-12 April 2002

http://www.enviroaust.net

Olive industry summary report

http://www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/NPP/00-187sum.html

Olive industry full report

http://www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/NPP/00-187.pdf

Report and Development Handbook for the Thailand Biomass-Based Power Generation and Cogeneration Within Small Rural Industries Project

http://www.nepo.go.th/encon/index.html

Black Liquor steam reforming and pulsed combustion

http://www.oit.doe.gov/forest/pulscomb.shtml

BHP's Centre for Metallurgy and Resource Processing Sustainable Technology Centre- Sustainable Steelmaking Using Renewable Forest Energy report