The establishment of Australia’s first industrial ecology park has taken a major step forward with the announcement that Hunter company Omega Energy will be the cornerstone tenant of a new facility at Kurri.
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Omega Energy is planning to construct and operate a $160 million regional Resource and Energy Recovery (RER) facility and expects to receive its environmental planning requirements from the Department of Planning and Environment before Christmas.
“Although this is the very beginning of the planning process, our intention now is to liaise closely with all local stakeholders to ensure they know what we are proposing and how it will work,” business development manager Shannon Sullivan said.
Mr. Sullivan said Omega had signed an agreement to lease a five-hectare site with Hunter Industrial Ecology Park in Mitchell Avenue at Kurri, pending planning approvals.
“The $160 million facility will use a world’s best technology, setting a new benchmark for the recovery of residual waste into both valuable commodities and syngas used for generating renewable energy,” he said.
“What we will bring to the park is the ability to process the waste left over from other recycling processes, enabling 100 per cent recovery of resources and greater diversion from landfill.
“In addition to the resources we recover we will also be able to support surrounding operations with stable gas and electricity supply contracts.”
Omega Energy general manager Jacob Whiting said a key factor in site selection was proximity to the new Hunter Expressway.
“The Hunter Expressway will be a catalyst for business growth in the region just like the M7 has been for Western Sydney,” he said.
“Omega Energy has partnered with technology provider US-based ArcSec Technologies to provide its waste-to-energy capabilities.
“The facility will further unlock the waste sector, providing investment and jobs growth in the Hunter.”
Hunter Industrial Ecology Park managing director Garbis Simonian said the agreement with Omega is a major milestone for the park and the region and will accelerate the range of resource recovery activities already operating in and around the Hunter Industrial Ecology Park.
“This will be the world’s first dedicated resource recovery park bringing businesses together to provide a complete recycling solution,” he said.
“Industrial ecology is achieved in the park by co-locating numerous resource recovery operations where infrastructure is shared and recovered resources exchanged, in order to achieve cost efficiencies and sustainable environmental outcomes.
“There is no doubt this facility will be a model that can be replicated in other parts of the state and nation.”
It is anticipated that community consultation will commence in the new year after the Department of Planning and Environment has issued the secretary’s environmental assessment requirements.
Subject to planning approvals, construction of the first stage of the facility is expected to commence early 2017 and be operational in 2018.