Sustainable Fuels Precinct approved for Gippsland

With Australia’s 2035 net zero targets now set, the approval of an Australian Sustainable Fuels Precinct in Gippsland, Victoria signals an opportunity to reduce waste emissions.

At the precinct, rubbish from homes and businesses will be diverted from landfill and upcycled into Grade A+ hydrogen and other low carbon fuels, cutting costs for councils and households while creating new clean-tech jobs in regional Victoria.

For local governments, it means less money spent on landfill, fewer emissions from waste, and a practical pathway to accelerate progress towards net zero targets.

Delivered by Zerogen in partnership with Boson Energy and Xseed Solutions, the precinct represents a model that could be scaled nationally to unlock faster and more cost-effective emissions reductions across waste and transport.

Recycling Victoria’s Cap Licence approval under the Waste to Energy Scheme means Gippsland can now become a hub for Australia’s circular economy.

Craig Allen, Director of Xseed Solutions, said the precinct approvals represent a milestone in Australia’s journey towards becoming a world leader in recycling waste.

“Hydrogen and low carbon fuels from waste are both a climate solution and a pathway to create value, create regional jobs and build new industry,” Allen said. “Australia is uniquely positioned to be a world leader in this space — we have the geography, industrial capacity and clean energy ambitions — so this is an exciting step to realising that potential.

“Improving Australia’s productivity, energy security and fuel taxes are top of mind for governments at present. Our pathway uplifts the value for waste, enhances Australia’s energy resilience and enables regional infrastructure for electric trucks and buses to refuel.”

At the heart of the project is Boson Energy’s Hydrogen-capable Plasma Assisted Gasification (HPAG) technology, which transforms residual waste into Grade A+ hydrogen, while capturing carbon dioxide in the process. Unlike traditional incineration, which leaves behind ash and emissions, HPAG is energy-efficient, preserves land and water biodiversity, and puts less strain on natural resources.

Boson Energy has spent more than 40 years advancing the HPAG technology, with a six-year demo plant in Israel proving up the technology. New precincts are being rolled out in France, Sweden and now Australia.

The modular design of the technology means precincts can operate as micro-grids, powering themselves independently, minimising grid upgrades and supporting new energy networks. Beyond hydrogen for road transport and grid-firming power, HPAG also produces ingredients to lower emissions from aircraft — sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and shipping (methanol).

Allen said the technology had the potential to unlock new clean energy infrastructure for green transport corridors right across Australia and New Zealand.

“Australia’s size and distances make building refuelling networks challenging. By leveraging methanol and microgrids, we can lower the cost of power upgrades and accelerate the rollout of hydrogen and electric vehicle refuelling solutions,” Allen said.

Jan Grimbrandt, CEO of Boson Energy, said Gippsland was at the forefront of a global shift in waste and energy.

“We are excited that in parallel with our European HPAG developments, Australia is turning to HPAG to fully capture the value from its waste,” Grimbrandt said.

The Gippsland precinct will be developed in partnership with Siemens and BMH Technology.

Image caption: The sunset view of the countryside Gippsland in regional Victoria. Credit: iStock.com/Gavin Guan