AU: Gippsland Growers Go Green

Recently, two farmers in the Gippsland region of Victoria turned on an Australian first in biomass renewable technology and became fully independent from their former energy source of brown coal briquettes. The combined operations use 7000 tonnes of residual biomass waste annually from the surrounding forestry and timber processing industry. Because of the system flexibility they can accept many forms, sizes and consistencies of fuel and with moisture contents up to 60%. These farmers are now equipped to run their tomato and eggplant production businesses successfully in a future market where rising fossil fuel costs and penalties for carbon emissions will be leading constraints to industries like theirs.

Energence is focused specifically on delivering energy solutions to industry including heating systems to greenhouses. Energence builds on a decade of experience in providing quality, purpose built systems across Australia with a unique focus on biomass renewable energy projects.

Combined, the two systems boast the following highlights:

• 1.6MW and 2.0MW peak output respectively
• Provides renewable energy for premium quality eggplant and tomato production
• Provides optimal growing environment for year round food production in a format that reduces water, energy, and fertiliser usage while increasing yields
• Drastic reduction in running costs by using forestry and timber waste residue
• Discontinuation of brown coal briquette usage
• No requirement for expensive fossil fuels such as LPG
• Lifetime carbon savings of over 150,000 tonnes of CO2-e (based on 25 year lifetime as verified by federal AusIndustry consultation)

For more information:
Sohum Gandhi
sohum@energence.com.au
Tel: +61 (0)2 7903 7175
www.energence.com.au