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Optimal Group and BOC plan Tasmanian bioLNG production

Manufacturing News




Optimal Group and industrial gas producer BOC have signed a MoU to jointly explore the development of Australia’s first bioLNG facility at the BOC Westbury micro-LNG plant in Tasmania.

The agreement will allow the companies to investigate the potential of Optimal’s subsidiary, Optimal Renewable Gas (ORG), to build a $55 million, 2.4 terajoules per day waste to biogas plant adjacent to the existing Westbury plant.

BioLNG is a biofuel made by processing organic waste flows.

BOC, a subsidiary of Linde plc, and its subsidiary Elgas supply LNG to industrial customers in Tasmania.

The biogas plant would provide biomethane to BOC’s micro-LNG plant, which would then be processed into bioLNG and distributed to customers in agriculture, food processing and other industries.

With many industrial customers requiring up to 70 per cent of their overall energy requirements for thermal processes, progressing the development of both renewable biogases and electricity is critical.

Optimal Group CEO Craig Dugan, said: “This partnership will demonstrate the potential for biogas and bring forward companies’ transition to net zero.”

Optimal Renewable Gas has a pipeline of additional projects in Victoria, NSW and Queensland it is seeking to develop to add to its biogas portfolio.

“Our aim is to have 10 grid scale biogas projects with a mix of biogas to grid and biogas to LNG within 10 years.

“The secret to success in this field will be through speed and scale. Our customers are urgently seeking a solution to their thermal energy requirements and biogas offers them with a commercially and technically proven alternative whilst solving Australia’s need to divert putrescible general solid waste from landfill.”

Picture: Optimal Group/Westbury

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