SUEZ-ResourceCo is celebrating the production milestone of one million tonnes of alternative fuel generated at its Wingfield facility in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.
The Wingfield facility uses world-leading technology to harness the energy value in construction, demolition, commercial and industrial waste, otherwise destined for landfill, transforming it into a baseload fuel (Processed Engineered Fuel) for use by Adelaide Brighton Cement.
Chairman of SUEZ-ResourceCo and CEO of SUEZ Australia & New Zealand, Mark Venhoek, said that the partnership has seen both a huge reduction in reliance on fossil fuels and significant diversion from landfill.
“PEF presents a cost-effective, sustainable solution to the generation of baseload energy, while helping to address the complex issues of waste management – it’s a win/win,” Mr Venhoek said.
The plant, the first of its kind commissioned in Australia, has helped reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the electricity supply of 50,000 homes.
The multi-million-dollar resource recovery and alternative fuels plant has been a leader in Australia’s efforts to move away from a make, use and dispose model to the recovery, recycling and re-use of products to extract their maximum value – in this case dry non-recyclable materials.
Chief Executive Officer of Adelaide Brighton Limited, Nick Miller, said this alternative fuel reduces Adelaide Brighton Cement’s reliance on natural resources as well as the use of raw materials in the cement manufacturing process.
“Through the use of this alternative fuel, Adelaide Brighton Cement has achieved a reduction of approximately 500,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions since project inception.”
The cement produced by Adelaide Brighton, using PEF from the Wingfield plant, is then used in a host of major infrastructure projects across South Australia.
“It’s a great example of what’s possible. Adelaide is increasingly being recognised as a leader in circular economy initiatives and certainly this partnership is a good reflection of that,” Mr Venhoek said.
