Which states have the most support for bioenergy?

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has identified the states and territories with the most supportive policies for the deployment of energy from waste and bioenergy projects.

The results were revealed by CEFC Bioenergy Sector lead Henry Anning, who addressed the Bioenergy Australia 2016 Conference earlier this week. He said NSW, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and the ACT have policy settings and levies that create an incentive for businesses to recycle waste and reduce operating costs.

“The states, which have imposed higher levies on landfill waste, are providing the right environment for investment in energy from waste projects,” Anning said.

The CEFC market report ‘Energy from waste in Australia: a state-by-state update’ demonstrates that with around 23 million tonnes of urban waste sent to landfill annually, there is a significant opportunity for energy from waste to play a role in generating renewable energy while diverting waste from landfill. But while generating electricity and heat from bioenergy and waste resources is largely cost-competitive with other new-build energy generation, the CEFC found that technologies which are extensively deployed in Europe and across America have not yet been widely adopted in Australia.

The CEFC is now looking to accelerate deployment of energy from waste technologies through finance for individual projects, as well as through equity investment. Anning explained, “On the debt front, we work directly with projects for amounts greater than $10 million. For smaller projects we work through co-financiers. Earlier stage projects may be eligible for finance through the Clean Energy Innovation Fund.

“On the equity side, the CEFC has committed $100 million as a cornerstone investment in the Australian Bioenergy Fund, managed by Foresight Group, which is in the final stages of raising additional equity and has a strong pipeline of projects.

“There’s an opportunity here for larger local councils, which are more likely to have significant urban waste volumes, to turn their trash into an energy treasure,” Anning said.