Waste-to-energy plant powers up

Listed Perth company AnaeCo has achieved a significant milestone at its waste-to-energy plant in Shenton Park, with Western Power approving its connection to the electricity grid.

The company said receiving technical and regulatory approvals from Western Power allowed for permanent connection of its 1.2 megawatt combined heat and power generator, installed at the plant, to the grid.

At full capacity, the plant can produce biogas containing around 1,200 tonnes of methane per annum, with the energy content able to fuel the generator to provide around 800kWe of electrical power and 800kWt of thermal power.

It will be the first operational waste facility in Western Australia generating electrical energy by processing municipal solid waste.

AnaeCo has also incorporated its organics recycling technology into the project, the DiCOM bioconversion process

AnaeCo has been expanding the 60,000tpa facility, in a joint venture with engineering company Monadelphous Group, as part of the Western Metropolitan Regional Council project.

“Connection of the gas powered generator to the electricity grid enabling export of electricity is a significant WMRC project milestone and another step forward in the commercialisation of AnaeCo’s innovative technology,” AnaeCo managing director David Lymburn said.

“The AnaeCo system provides a closed loop approach to municipal organic waste management. By combining the naturally occurring processes of anaerobic digestion and composting we are able to extract maximum value from this resource, producing both renewable energy and organic fertiliser.”

The electricity generated will be used to power operations at the plant, with the surplus to be exported for use in the local Western Power-owned electricity grid.

AnaeCo shares were unchanged at 0.3 cents each at 1:15pm.