Green light for $81 million green gas development at Austral Bricks

The NSW government has approved a bioenergy facility at Austral Bricks site at Horsley Park, west of Sydney’s CBD.

According to a statement from the government on Friday, the project will involve an anaerobic digester and process up to 150,000 tonnes of organic waste annually, helping provide electricity and heat for the brickworks. 

The organic waste will be placed “into a sealed tank, allowing bacteria to break it down and release biogas” with this “piped to the brick manufacturing kiln to replace the natural gas currently being used as a fuel.”

The bioenergy facility will be built by Delorean Corporation. The project has a value of $81.4 million and construction will support a claimed 250-plus jobs.

“Bioenergy is emerging as a key player in the global energy transition. It offers reliable, renewable alternatives to fossil fuels, while supporting the circular economy,” said state planning minister Paul Scully.

“As NSW tackles [its] housing challenges, this renewable energy facility will use green energy to make the millions of bricks required to build the new homes that NSW desperately needs.”

Picture: credit Dolorean

Further reading

Delorean wins ‘game changing’ ARENA grant for bioenergy

Renewable fuels being overlooked in rush to electrify, says Bioenergy Australia report

Saving through smarter energy use: Why we’re starting to consider bioenergy

Technologies and tools for a manufacturing transformation: Using bioenergy to power the world