Co-generation benefits

Border Tweed Mail
Thursday 26/6/2008 Page: 38

THE co-generation plant at Condong is one of two built by New South Wales Sugar Milling Co-operative and Delta Energy. The 30 megawatt plants will operate under a joint venture, Sunshine Electricity, which was formed to construct and run the projects. The plants will be fuelled primarily by sugar cane material and will operate as power stations owned by Sunshine Electricity within mills owned by the Co-operative.

The project is Australia's largest baseload renewable electricity generation project and will make a substantial contribution to Australia's greenhouse commitments. An additional major environmental benefit of the project will be the move to green cane harvesting, avoiding the need for systematic pre and post harvesting cane burning. Small percentages of cane can still be burnt by growers as a farm management tool.

The co-generation project involves Downer Energy Systems and Clyde Babcock-Hitachi (in consortium) as the major contractor. Country Energy has provided a 66KV switching station at Condong, while Tweed Shire Council has supplied tertiary treated effluent as the main water supply for cooling at Condong. The bagasse, cane trash and wood waste fuels to be used by Sunshine Electricity are categorised as eligible fuels under the Renewable Electricity Act.

Each renewable energy plant will generate enough electricity for half the residents of its district or the equivalent of taking 40,000 cars off the road. The New South Wales Sugar Milling Co-operative produces about five percent of the national sugar crop, has about 600 members and more than 400 staff at three mills. Each mill has been upgraded as part of the energy generation project. Delta Energy produces about 12 percent of the electricity needed by consumers on Australia's eastern seaboard.

More information is available from www.nswsugar.com.au or www.sunshineelectricity.com.au.