Crop residues would be used to create biomethane under a plan proposed by Valorify. Photo: Valorify

A PROPOSED new biomethane plant in New South Wales’ Riverina region has taken a step forward after proponent Valorify partnered with energy infrastructure company Jemena to explore biogas use.

The plant is expected to use approximately 300,000 tonnes per year of cereal straw and agricultural byproducts to produce up to four petajoules (PJ) of biogas and up to 30,000t of granulated fertiliser.

Valorify chief executive officer Scott Grierson said the company was investigating several sites in the Riverina region in order to find the ideal location to construct the facility.

He said this included the WRConnect Precinct, formerly known as the Western Riverina Intermodal Freight Terminal, at Wumbulgal, 20km south-east of Griffith.

Valorify is currently progressing a development application with the NSW Government and Leeton Shire Council to construct the Riverina Bioenergy Facility at the Wumbulgal site; however, the exact location of the development is yet to be finalised.

The site currently features a weighbridge, silos and bunkers operated by AgConnex, WRConnect’s owners; Riverina Hay, a hay storage and production facility; and a cotton storage-and-handling facility run by Weilin Trade.

A Memorandum of Understanding between Valorify and Jemena will assess the feasibility of injecting biomethane produced by Valorify into the NSW gas distribution network, currently connected to more than 1.5 million homes and businesses.

It is hoped the work towards finalising a reliable and permanent demand pathway for the biogas will promote investment in the project and ensure its long-term financial viability.

The Riverina Biomethane project is expected to launch its first 2PJ scale module in 2027.

Mr Grierson said businesses like Valorify were also helping local communities utilise their agricultural waste to unlock further economic potential.

“Projects like the Riverina Biomethane project can transform regional Australia by harnessing agricultural waste while stimulating local economies and creating permanent jobs in regional communities,” Dr Grierson said.

“We have seen the practical demonstration of biomethane injection in countries like Denmark, the US and the UK for a number of years.

“It’s an exciting time to be involved in bringing this innovation to Australia.”

Jemena managing director David Gillespie said Valorify’s proposed Riverina Bioenergy project could produce enough biomethane to meet the equivalent energy needs of over 50,000 household customers, or more than 6 percent of current industrial demand.

“Valorify’s Riverina Bioenergy project will assist the decarbonisation of large gas users who produce many of the items we rely on every day such as glass, medicines, and building materials,” Mr Gillespie said.

“These gas users require high-heat loads for processes which cannot be electrified.

“Biomethane is identical to natural gas, which means we can avoid the need to upgrade infrastructure, reskill the workforce, retool industrial processes, or replace end-use appliances.”

Ararat, Goulburn Murray projects

The Riverina Bioenergy facility is one of three renewable energy projects Valorify is progressing which will utilise agricultural waste.

The Ararat Bioenergy project is the most advanced of the three, with the company finalising a stubble supply agreements with Victorian growers in April.

Valorify has concluded the engineering and design phase for the project, as well as lodged environmental and development applications.

Stage 1 of the Ararat Bioenergy project will be the “commercial demonstration” facility and aims to be the first single-feedstock, straw-based anaerobic-digestion platform in Australia.

Dr Grierson said the Ararat project will give confidence to growers that renewable energy facilities can be a viable source of secondary income.

“For us, this is only the beginning and hopefully our Stage 1 plant will give local farmers the confidence they need to step into the breach at a later point.”

Valorify has partnered with Indigenous company Yurringa Energy to develop the Goulburn Murray Woka Yurringa Energy Project.

This project is expected to use low-grade or excess straw and crop stubble, food-processing waste, culled fruit and prunings as feedstocks to produce renewable gas.

Expressions of interest are currently open for growers in the Gouburn Murray region to supply straw from crops, such as wheat, barley, oats, canola and peas.

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