Hopes to build a Castlemaine bioenergy plant using waste product generated at Don KR, in a bid to drive down greenhouse gas emissions while generating clean power, have received a significant boost with the proposal collecting a national innovation award in recent days.
Driving the vision for the past four years, the Mount Alexander Sustainability Group has just collected the national Bioenergy Innovation Awards gong for the proposed bioenergy plant that it’s working to see built in partnership with Don KR Castlemaine.
The group is also working closely with Mount Alexander Shire Council as the proposal dovetails with the council’s own goal to achieve zero net emissions by 2025 as globally, calls to tackle climate change heat up.
Bioenergy Australia recognises leaders in the bioenergy field through their annual awards and MASG’s vision for the bioenergy plant has just gained a boost in taking out the 2019 Community Leadership Award.
“We forecast it will bring down emissions by 88,000 tonnes of CO2 per year in the first phase,” Mount Alexander Bioenergy CEO Deane Belfield said.
“And as the project grows so would emissions reductions.
“We’re collaborating very closely with Don KR, Coliban Water and the Mount Alexander Shire Council.”
Bioenergy is energy derived from plants, animals and their by-products and residues, and the proposal will use such waste materials generated by Don KR and other local industries.
This will mean they won’t have to be transported elsewhere for disposal but will instead produce energy while helping to achieve the wider zero net emission targets both MASG and the council want.
“It is an excellent example of the circular economy,” Mr Belfield said.
Also a potential source of new employment and planned to be sited adjacent to Castlemaine’s current Don KR site, the project is understood to already have widespread support.
A key meeting set for December 18 will involve MASG, the council, the state’s Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Regional Development Victoria and Don KR representatives.
Obtaining the final sign-off and green light from Don KR’s parent company Allied British Food Group is now a main step that needs to be achieved before the project can proceed.
