W.A. Gov - Biomass scoping study

The W.A. State Government is looking at utilising the Wheatbelts biomass resources as one of the key opportunities for the state of Western Australia to move towards CO2 neutral new and existing industries. This report looks at existing BioMass supply in the Burracoppin region and targets at increasing the available BioMass scope in the region with a focus on encouraging and supporting farmers to focus on supplying an expanding an emerging BioMass fuel market in Western Australia.



The Burracoppin magnetite resource is right inside the W.A. Wheat-belt and strategically Located along the Perth-Kalgoorlie Railway and Great Eastern Highway. This opportunistic location will access the Wheat-Belts Bio-Mass resources and existing logistical routes. This is going to make the feasibility case for sourcing local BioMass with existing resource and infrastructure to build a HiSmelt plant in a yet to be finalised site Near the Burracoppin magnetite resource and existing infrastructure networks.



A further report from Dinsdale on carbon emissions from smelting using Burracoppin magnetite and carbon
sourced entirely from carbon captured from the atmosphere by biomass production for “green pig iron” is
due within the next week or so. This report should assist RLC in demonstrating that RLC’s green iron project
meets the economic, environmental and policy objectives of the Federal and Western Australian
governments and should assist RLC’s iron project in qualifying for government support initiatives.

I am looking at the Biomass supply for the RLC Burracoppin HiSmelt plant situated just outside of Merridin. Here is some exerts from one of the several Biomass scoping study Opportunities for agriculture in Western Australia published by the state gov.
This sector is firing up and the W.A. state gov is eager to help new Industries open up in Western Australia with targets focused on net neutral CO2 emissions.

3.7 Available feedstocks in WAPotential feedstocks for bioenergy can be broken into three broad classifications.Cereal straw is an abundant resource and can be used for either combustion orfermentation. High moisture content animal effluents from piggeries and dairies arewell-suited to anaerobic digestion, while drier animal waste such as chicken manurecan be either digested or combusted.




Biomass scoping studyOpportunities for agriculture in Western Australia
I have random chosen exerts from the report (refer below), the report is extensive and this sector has a lot of projects moving towards carbon neutral and accessing Government funding. Just a broad pick to look at other companies and industries all heading in the same direction as RLC is targeting.
All of this I am expecting to also be in the Dinsdale report that is going to be ASX released next.

3.6.2 Warrawagine Station biogasWarrawagine Station has begun growing hay for stock and sorghum as feedstock forbiofuel at the Woodie Woodie manganese mine, using water from the mine. The trialforms part of the WA government’s Pilbara Hinterland Agricultural DevelopmentInitiative (PHADI) and is funded with some infrastructure already in place. Theprogram is in development and will begin by irrigating and cropping 120ha, whilethere is capacity to irrigate 5000ha.

3.5.4 Richgro organic waste to biogasRichgro in Jandakot is one of the top five garden products suppliers in Australia. A$3.3 million anaerobic digestion plant with a 2MW electricity generation capacity isnearing completion and will produce enough power for Richgro's operations atJandakot. That includes powering equipment and Richgro's onsite vehicle fleet. Asum of $1.1 million was sourced from the federal government’s Clean TechnologyInvestment Program, with the remainder coming from a five-year loan from LowCarbon Australia. The by-product from the plant can be used as a raw material inRichgro's garden products. The plant has the capacity to process more than 35 000tonnes per year of organic waste, diverting it from landfill. Over a 20-year life theproject is expected to save 142 000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

3.6.3 New Energy Corporation waste to energyNew Energy Corporation has received $50 million from the CEFC for their waste toenergy projects in WA. They have been granted EPA approval for a $200 million,18MW waste to energy plant in Port Hedland designed to take 130 000 tonnes ofhousehold waste each year and generate enough biogas to power 21 000 homes. Asimilar, $160 million plant is also proposed for a site in east Rockingham. TheRockingham site has secured its funding and received conditional EPA approval andhas also engaged engineering firm Kiewit to undertake the design.

The report looks at many sectors and their unique ways of sourcing different BioMass oppurtunities for genetaring BioChar for CO2 neutral plants.

The report also looks at further utilising and efficiently expanding the wheatbelts resource which you can read in the report if you like.
RLC will release the Dinsdale report soon however. I posted this extra research as I believe it will be in some aspect covered in the Dinsadle report and the point I am concluding is the opportunity for RLC to get Government Funding and support to develop a Green Pig Iron Project in the Wheatbelt to be favourable.