About the Kwinana Waste to Energy Project
This Phoenix Energy development (now owned by Avertas Energy) will be a leader in integrating the disposal of waste with the generation of renewable energy to provide a practical solution to two community challenges: the disposal of significant quantities of household rubbish and establishing additional (baseload) renewable energy supplies for the community. As such, the project is a unique and important renewable energy project for Western Australia and Australia, as it will be the first Waste to Energy (WtE) facility of its kind constructed in Australia.
The Kwinana Waste to Energy project was initiated by Phoenix Energy in 2009 and achieved Financial Close on Thursday 18 October 2018. The facility, which will export electricity to the local electricity grid, will rely on tried and tested moving grate combustion technology that is in use in many other developed nations.
Development of the first major Waste to Energy project in Australia to the point where it could start construction was a very complex undertaking. Some of the key components that Phoenix Energy needed to achieve for this were:
- Identifying and quantifying the opportunity (including potential waste streams and suppliers) and the key stakeholders
- Identifying the most appropriate type of WtE technology
- Procuring and overseeing the preliminary engineering and basic engineering design packages
- Sourcing of an appropriate site
- Community and stakeholder engagement (including all levels of government) and ongoing management
- Engaging a specialist to characterise the waste
- Obtainment of all Environmental and Planning approvals, licences and/or exemptions
- Obtainment of Waste Supply contracts from a variety of councils
- Undertake a detailed waste flow analysis for lender due diligence purposes
- Facilitating the energy and other recovered resource offtake arrangements
- Sourcing of Engineering, Construction and Operation service providers
- Obtainment of funding and other due diligence advisories necessary for project financing
- Procuring and coordinating specialists to undertake site investigation works relating to establishing the site contamination baseline, geotechnical investigations and hydrogeological assessment
Construction of the facility has commenced and the facility is expected to be operational in 2021.
Underpinning the project are 20-year waste supply agreements with both the Rivers Regional Council, representing seven Local Government Authorities (LGAs), including the City of Canning, and separately with the City of Kwinana. Under these agreements all eight LGAs will supply residential (post-recycling) waste to the plant, which has approval to receive and process up to 400,000 tonnes of residual waste per annum.
As well as significantly reducing their reliance on landfill disposal, these agreements will also assist the LGA’s to deliver a step change toward the State Government’s diversion target. The Kwinana Waste to Energy facility was also selected as a Preferred Supplier of baseload renewable energy to Local Governments under a preferred supplier panel contract with the WA Local Government Association (WALGA).
Unlike solar and wind generation, waste to energy plants are a unique source of continuous renewable energy, reflecting the fact that every week households are producing material for both recycling and combustion. On average a wheelie bin placed on a verge for collection contains enough waste to produce up to 14% of a household’s weekly power needs.
Preliminary groundworks commenced at the Leath Road site during the 2017-18 financial year, including a baseline contamination investigation, geotechnical investigations and groundwater pumping tests. Please view our project development Gallery.
Having achieved Financial Close, the project is now owned by Avertas Energy. For all enquiries related to the Avertas Energy facility, please refer to the Avertas Energy website.