The ASIA Miner - Reporting Important Issues to Mining Companies in the Asia Pacific Region
Issue link: https://asiaminer.epubxp.com/i/830355
Volume 14 • Issue 2 | 2017 | ASIA Miner | 23 CHANGES in government policy in recent years have created re- newed interest in generating energy from waste. Australia is now considered, both domestically and internationally, to be a potential growth market. However, due to the continent's unique conditions, it is widely understood that this market will develop differently to other parts of the world. The Australian Industrial Ecology Network (AIEN) hosted the 2nd Australian Waste to Energy Forum on February 22 and 23 at the Mercure Ballarat Hotel and Convention Centre, Victoria, Austra- lia. More than 160 delegates came together to explore the future potential for converting ever-increasing supplies of waste into viable energy resources. Diverse occupations were represented ranging from international energy and resource recovery industries, local, state and federal governments, academia, environmental organi- sations, manufacturers, media companies and individuals simply interested in the topic. Opening the conference, Sustainability Victoria CEO Stan Krpan said the momentum for Waste-to-Energy technology was the stron- gest he had seen in the six years he had led the state government body. He believes that increasingly, communities are developing a low tolerance of landfill as a way of dealing with waste, especially municipal solid waste. Stan Krpan says that new processes for re- covering resources and deriving higher orders of value from waste are the inevitable answer. An announcement was released during the conference stating that the Victorian Government had launched a new, $2 million pro- gram to support the development of Waste to Energy technologies, including anaerobic digestion and thermal treatment of waste. The 'Waste to Energy Infrastructure Fund' will boost sustainable energy production using organic materials and hence divert more waste from landfill. For more information visit www.sustainability.vic.gov.au. Keynote speaker Dr Darren Perrin from Eunomia Research and Consulting in the UK, challenged the audience to consider why the country might feel it needs waste to energy and the rationale for managing waste more sustainably. He suggested delegates con- sider the future of conventional and 'disruptive' energy sources in Australia, the supply and composition of future waste streams and then ask themselves where is the evidence to support one residual treatment solution versus another? Darren Perrin also made the fundamental point that strategies for dealing with waste should concentrate on eliminating residual, un- recoverable materials rather than focusing on the supply of waste to generate energy. It is critically important that higher-order uses for What will Australia's Waste to Energy Future look like? The 2017 Australian Waste to Energy Forum was excellent, ac- cording to forum chairman Kurt Palmer, from STEINERT Austra- lia, with a noticeable increase in interest and participation. He said there were 104 delegates for the inaugural forum in 2016 and this increased to 161 this year. There were representatives from throughout the energy, recy- cling and resource recovery industries as well as various gov- ernment and environmental bodies. There was also a visible international presence as well. He attributes the success to development of the market and a successful, interesting and relevant program. "With renewable energy sources being a hot topic in government at the moment, the timing was perfect, and community interest and education continues to grow." STEINERT has been a continued supporter of the event, and sees multiple opportunities when considering Waste to Energy (WTE) in Australia. "An active WTE sector increases recovery of valuable resources and the material being used to convert to energy generally requires some form of contamination removal prior to the end process. Both these activities foster investment in sorting technology," Kurt Palmer said. "Australia has a mature waste collection industry and strong WTE regulations and standards but little in the way of active facilities. It is still very much in the infancy stage and this is probably driven by the fact that for many years Australia has had access to relatively cheap coal and hydroelectricity as well as cheap landfill for waste. "With the closing of coal-fired power stations and rising landfill costs, WTE will start to become more attractive and more cost effective," he said. The 2017 forum has also presented challenges with Kurt Palmer saying that among these was the need for improved communication between government, regulatory and industry bodies. He says what is needed now is the development of a policy framework. "As a follow on from the first WTE Forum last year, the conversation is gaining momentum and becoming a reality as a real alternative energy source." He adds that the WTE topic is also relevant for the mining industry as it provides the potential for reduced energy costs, reduced waste disposal costs and improved environmental footprint. Increased interest in WTE: chairman A panel session during the second AIEN Australian Waste to Energy Forum in Ballarat, Victoria.