NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe makes the funding announcement at Tyree Transformers at its factory at Braemar in the Southern Highlands. Photo: Supplied.
Energy company Optimal Renewable Gas (ORG) has been awarded a $20 million NSW Government grant to convert agricultural organic waste from farms into a clean gas fuel at its Griffith Biohub (science centre).
The centre is operating a $58 million project that uses technology to break down things such as leftover crops and other organic waste. This creates biomethane, a renewable gas that produces much less pollution than normal gas.
The gas can be sent through existing pipelines to help increase supply for homes and businesses and reduce pollution from factories that are hard to clean up.
“This project is a perfect demonstration of a regional circular economy, reducing emissions of organic waste to provide a drop-in fuel to displace natural gas, supporting domestic and regional energy security whilst returning nutrients back to agriculture,” said ORG chairman Dr John Hewson, the former Liberal Party leader and one-time aspirant to become prime minister.
The investment is part of the NSW Government’s Net Zero manufacturing initiative, a $480 million taxpayer-funded push to help fast-track emissions reductions and develop the technologies needed to further the transition to renewables.
In its first stage, the biohub will process up to 100,000 tonnes of organic waste each year and produce enough gas to power more than 30,000 homes, while returning leftover nutrients to farms as fertiliser.
A render of the Griffith Biohub. Photo: Optimal Renewable Gas.
In the second stage, the project aims to process more than 250,000 tonnes of waste from across the Riverina.
Construction is planned to start in late 2026, with the project expected to be fully operational by 2028.
The project is also looking at ways to reuse the carbon dioxide it creates, instead of letting it go to waste.
ORG managing director Mike Davis said the project showed how energy could be delivered via existing pipelines and used by hard-to-clean industries, such as factories, power generation, and heavy trucks.
Three other renewable energy companies are to benefit from NSW Government grants.
Tyree Transformers in the Southern Highlands will receive $22 million to build its transformers, which prevent energy loss while being transported from solar and wind farms.
Hiringa Energy near Moree will receive $9.4 million to expand the production of it low-carbon ammonia fertiliser, to be used on cotton farms. This will help produce sustainable cotton and decarbonise farming operations.
Hiringa Refuelling Australia will receive $778,000 to help create hydrogen refuelling stations that aim to replace diesel in heavy vehicles — with the aim of building a green freight corridor between Sydney and South-East Queensland.
