Biomass energy from macadamia nut shells 

AGL - Nuts about a Queensland power source

At AGL we see energy everywhere. In our environment. In people.

It inspires us to put our energy into sustainable projects, like our venture with Suncoast Gold Macadamias in Gympie, Southeast Queensland.

This facility is Australia’s first waste-to-energy (biomass) renewable cogeneration project. ‘Cogeneration’ is generation of both electricity and useful heat that can be used onsite for good use. This not-so-nutty activity produces enough energy from the macadamia nut shells to power the company’s entire manufacturing and processing activity, as well as about 250 Queensland homes.

Creating energy from a waste product like the macadamia nut shells is really quite straight-forward. Let’s break this down:

• Nut shells are burnt in a fire boiler, which creates steam
• Some of the steam is used to dry the macadamia nuts
• The majority of steam is used to drive a turbine to generate clean, renewable electricity
• About 80% of the electricity is sent to the national power grid as GreenPower
• About 20% is used in the plant’s operation

This innovative waste-to-energy or biomass project cuts Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions by around 2500 tonnes per annum - equivalent to taking about 650 cars off the road each year. It’s also solved the problem of what to do with the 5000 tonnes of macadamia shells that Suncoast Gold Macadamias process each year. That’s enough to fill three Olympic-sized swimming pools!

This project is one of the 29 renewable energy projects that AGL owns or operates around Australia. That’s cleaner energy. For our customers. For you.

Sign up to AGL and you can be a part of a company that is taking action to find new ways to work toward a sustainable energy future, call 131 AGL.