State's first biomass plant wins approval

West Australian
Tuesday 8/7/2008 Page: 16

A controversial biomass plant, which will generate enough energy to power about 45,000 homes and save about 280,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year, has been given the go-ahead by the State's environmental watchdog. The $110 million plant, the first of its kind in WA and the biggest in Australia, will turn 380,000 tonnes of waste from the timber industry each year into 40 megawatts of power for the State electricity grid.

WA Biomass Pty Ltd, a joint venture between Babcock and Brown and National Power, still needs the approval of Environment Minister David Templeman to build the plant at the Diamond Timber Mill site, 10km south of Manjimup. Announcing a recommendation of conditional approval for the project yesterday, Environmental Protection Authority chairman Paul Vogel said the proposal would have low emissions and result in greenhouse gas savings which would contribute to the Government's 20 per cent renewable energy target.

Dr Vogel said an expert risk assessment had concluded that the direct health risks of exposure to emissions were "low" and the Health Department had agreed on the proviso that WA Biomass comply with conditions. "The controlled combustion of plantation waste would produce significantly less emissions when compared to current open burning practices, decreasing the pollutant load currently emitted into the region's airshed," Dr Vogel said.

The EPA approval, which is open to appeal in the next 14 days, includes conditions requiring emission limits, monitoring and reporting obligations and limits on the amount of ash stored on the site. Manjimup shire president Wade De Campo said the plant was a "winwin" for the local community and was expected to generate about 50 fulltime jobs, as well as hundreds of jobs during the construction phase.

"This is the biggest project we have ever seen in our shire in 100 years," Mr De Campo said. He said the project still needed planning approval from the shire and he expected an "immense amount of political pressure" on councillors. Biomass Action Group spokesman Neal Bartholomaeus said there were still major concerns about the impact of the project on local agriculture and water supplies. WA Biomass spokesman Ross Rolfe said it was hoped the project would start producing energy close to its original target of late next year.