The Client

Greenham is a large-scale family-owned livestock business with three sites across Australia; Smithton (TAS), Tongala (VIC), and Moe (VIC). Rising energy costs and the need for alternative energy sources encouraged them to seek an energy expert to develop an end-to-end energy and carbon management strategy.

How We Helped

• Renewing annual data
• Energy productivity audits
• Cogeneration support
• Carbon credit monetisation and government grants
• Energy and carbon reporting
• Energy efficiency certificate creation

The Challenge

Greenham is a large-scale family-owned livestock business with three sites across Australia; Smithton, Tongala, and Moe. Rising energy costs, ageing infrastructure, and the search for alternative energy sources encouraged them to seek an expert to help them with their energy and carbon management strategy.

The Process

Smithton

Northmore Gordon was first engaged in 2014 to assist with a switch from coal to renewable biomass in the boiler at the Smithton site. Northmore Gordon registered the project for carbon off sets through the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF), negotiated sale of off sets to a buyer, and submitted the first off sets report. Knowledge of measurement and verification methods in the Carbon Farming Initiative enables Northmore Gordon’s Energy and Carbon Performance Consultants to create Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCU) every year, delivering a total of over $175K of value to Greenham. This involves intensive data analysis, modelling, liaising with the Clean Energy Regulator, participating in ACCU Auctions, and negotiating with buyers on the secondary market.

Further to the creation of ACCUs, Greenham was investigating a replacement for their biomass boiler which was nearing the end of its life. Northmore Gordon prepared a detailed specification of the new boiler and identified capable supply and installation contractors. A new state-of-the-art model is now operating at 15-20% greater efficiency, leading to a fuel cost saving of $50K per annum.

Tongala

Following the work at Smithton, Greenham was interested to assess the viability of embedded solar PV at Tongala. Northmore Gordon performed a solar feasibility analysis and investigated the suitability of a 2MW solar farm quoted by an external supplier. With complex electrical and thermal systems it was determined that other options should be investigated before proceeding. Subsequently Northmore Gordon performed an energy audit to provide a comprehensive review of the facility’s energy performance and renewable energy generation options. Although solar was considered, the audit revealed that cogeneration powerfully aligned with the energy profile and needs of the business. Funding through Sustainability Victoria supported the cost of the audit.

There were 15 potential areas of optimisation around the site, which would provide an estimated cost savings of $1M per annum. Greenham wished to further investigate three of these areas, upgrading the hot water system, cogeneration and conversion to High Voltage supply. These stand-alone business cases required further engineering design work and engaging suppliers. Greenham progressed with the cogeneration opportunity, which would also help alleviate hot water complications. Northmore Gordon also identified that cogeneration could be funded under a government grant, and Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates (VEECs) could be created based on the energy savings. The grant was secured and the project registered for VEECs, improving the business case. The final design included 2MW of cogeneration units running off natural gas and biogas captured from the wastewater treatment system. This will provide electricity and hot water to the site and will augment the existing gas-fired hot water heaters.

Outcome

Greenham is now positioned as a leader in energy and carbon performance in the livestock processing sector and there are even more opportunities to improve. By entrusting Northmore Gordon to help improve carbon and energy performance, Greenham has drastically reduced energy costs, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and improved energy productivity at their sites. Northmore Gordon worked extremely hard to unlock funding to help finance energy productivity and decarbonisation projects. This has been achieved through the annual creation of ACCUs at Smithton with a final value of over $175K. At the Tongala site the cogeneration project NG has been able to generate over $4.5M in total for Greenham from an upfront grant and from the VEU program for project implementation.

With the help of experts, you can help transform your energy performance and dramatically reduce costs.

For more information contact: c.morgan@northmoregordon.com

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“Northmore Gordon worked alongside the boiler installation company as well as AJ Bush Manufacturing to complete the project. Northmore Gordon went above and beyond to get the project done and were able to work under difficult circumstances to make sure AJ Bush Manufacturing was able to access the credits for this project.”- Nick Lawrance – Plant Engineer

The Client

AJ Bush & Sons (Manufactures) is Australia’s largest east coast protein recovery provider operating rendering and manufacturing plants in NSW and QLD. The plants specialise in processing animal by-products for the meat/butchery industry. The NSW (Riverstone) plant’s collection area, in addition to Sydney Metro, ranges from Nowra in the south to Canberra, Dubbo and Bathurst inland and up to Newcastle and Tamworth in the north. The material collected is recycled into products used for livestock, pet food, aquaculture, fertiliser and biofuels.

Key Facts

Equipment Upgraded: Gas-fired boiler (50y.o originally oil-fired)
Annual Energy Savings: 11,790 GJ p/a Opex: > $80,000
Certificate Value: $120,000
Project Payback Period: 15 Years
Program: NSW Energy Savings Scheme
Method: Installation of High-efficiency Appliances for Business (IHEAB)

The Project

AJ Bush Manufacturing Plant (NSW) operates 24/6 processing red meat and poultry by-products, making it extremely important that the boiler runs reliably and efficiently. An earlier energy audit in the plant identified a number performance improvements and highlighted the advantages of a boiler replacement. The plant had already made a number of services and repairs but it was determined the boiler was at the end of its serviceable life and the decision was made to replace the unit. The upgrade from the 7.3MW boiler to a new 10 MW boiler for extra capacity included many efficiency options including an economiser, oxygen trim, electronic air/gas ratio, and automatic TDS blowdown. Northmore Gordon is a leader in environmental certificate creation and trading. We have created the most certificates of all Accredited Persons under the Victorian Energy Upgrades program, an Accredited Certificate Provider in the NSW Energy Savings Scheme, and registered agent under the Federal Renewable Energy Target.

Challenges

Project was completed and done in conjunction with production as AJ Bush operates 24/6

Outcomes

7.3MW Gas boiler was replaced with 10MW boiler

Our Role

Northmore Gordon were engaged during the specification of the boiler and were able to calculate the value in energy saving certificates for various options (such as the economiser and blowdown controls). Working under Northmore Gordon’s direction AJ Bush collected much of the evidence required to meet the NSW ESS program requirements. In addition Northmore Gordon provided a price hedge to protect against adverse changes in the certificate price during the finalisation of the claim and the audit process.

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