Waste to energy plant in Western Australia given environmental approval

Australia's Environmental Protection Authority has approved the building of a new waste to energy plant in Port Hedland, Western Australia.

New Energy Corporation said the project is an Australian first and will convert approximately 100,000 tonnes of waste previously destined for landfill into a clean and renewable energy source.

At full capacity, the plant, which uses technology developed in Western Australia, could produce enough energy to power the equivalent of 21,000 homes in the Pilbara.

The EPA has recommended that the WA Minister for Environment approve the project after it was considered at the highest level of assessment via a Public Environmental Review.

The EPA’s decision is now open to public appeal for a two-week period before the Minister makes a final determination on the project.

New Energy chairman Enzo Gullotti said the EPA’s approval was a significant milestone for the company and the company's chief executive, David Sneddon, said Port Hedland was selected due to the pressure on the waste management and power generation in the region.

As well as working in the Pilbara, New Energy is planning similar sized projects in Victoria and New South Wales and expansion into international markets.