Big meat processor, JBS Australia, has just commissioned an $11.1 million project to run two of its abattoirs on biogas captured at the plants.
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The Scone meatworks in the NSW Upper Hunter began using methane and other greenhouse gases recycled from its wastewater system as an energy alternative to liquified natural gas (LNG) early this month.
The same process to convert emissions has also been installed at JBS's Beef City processing plant west of Toowoomba on Queensland's Darling Downs, where the company also operates the 26,000-head capacity Beef City feedlot.
The Beef City biogas plant is currently being commissioned, to be fully operational in June.
Similar meatworks projects are now being planned for other abattoirs in JBS's processing network which spans 10 beef and lamb sites across Queensland, NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia, and three facilities for pigs.
JBS is Australia's largest meat and food processor.
At Scone the biogas capture system will reduce the plant's annual carbon dioxide emissions by an equivalent of about 23,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
It has involved installing two gas-tight pond covers to encase the plant's anaerobic wastewater lagoons, preventing biogas and waste odour from entering the atmosphere.
This biogas is then redirected for use as a production heat source instead of LNG.
Given energy is a major contributor to meat processing costs, the project has enabled cost-efficiencies at the Scone plant, lessening its reliance on, and use of, LNG, in addition to reducing the site's emissions.
While biogas contains only 70 per cent methane and is therefore slightly less efficient than pure methane in LNG, it utilises an otherwise wasted resource which has been contributing to the beef industry's greenhouse emissions stream.
The Scone abattoir employs about 450 workers, processing cattle for JBS's farm-assured Great Southern brand.
JBS flagged its effluent recycling intentions last September, partnering with biogas handling company, Energy360, to design and install the bioenergy infrastructure.
Southern division chief operating officer, Sam McConnell, said the bioenergy system demonstrated the meat giant's focus on developing innovative solutions to improve industry sustainability.
"Scone's biogas system has exemplified how we can innovate to create processes that boost operational efficiency while lessening our environmental impact," he said.
"We see significant potential to introduce more renewable energy solutions across our southern sites."
Scone processing plant manager, James Turner, has just hosted a tour of his site by local Upper Hunter Shire Council officials and Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce.
"This bioenergy system enables us to make the most of our waste and manage our input costs with an energy source that is naturally derived from our operations," Mr Turner said.
Mr Joyce noted how efficiencies for food processing also ensured more jobs and more money flowing through the community, more food for consumption, and more exports.
"I was pleased to see JBS taking the initiative to lead innovation in the use of biogas and I look forward to seeing this processing plant provide more jobs and activity into the future," he said.
Upper Hunter Mayor, Maurice Collison, also commended JBS Australia for investing in a waste treatment system which considered the environment and surrounding community.
"Through thoughtful engineering, the bioenergy system has transformed a simple process of managing waste into a circular, renewable energy source," Mr Collison said.
JBS Australia's processing and value-adding in the red meat, pork and salmon industries are part of the global JBS parent's business spread from North America, South America to Europe, and New Zealand.
JBS is the world's largest animal protein company.
Andrew Marshall
Andrew Marshall is the group agribusiness writer for ACM's state agricultural weeklies and websites. He is a former editor at The Land and has worked in various Rural Press group roles in Canberra, North Richmond (NSW) and Toowoomba (Qld).
Andrew Marshall is the group agribusiness writer for ACM's state agricultural weeklies and websites. He is a former editor at The Land and has worked in various Rural Press group roles in Canberra, North Richmond (NSW) and Toowoomba (Qld).
