Australia's Manjimup Shire Approves Biomass Project, Construction Set for 2014

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources Australia (Perth, Australia)--WA Biomass Pty Limited recently received approvals from the Shire of Manjimup to build the 40-megawatt (MW) Manjimup Biomass power plant in Western Australia. WA Biomass Pty Limited is a special-purpose joint venture that was formed by Westgen Pty Limited (West Perth) and NP Power Australia Pty Limited (Sydney, New South Wales) to develop the biomass project.

The biomass plant will be built in Manjimup at the Diamond timber mill site and will feature a steam turbine and a fluidized bed boiler. The plant will be fueled with approximately 380,000 tons per annum of timber waste from plantations within a 100-kilometer radius.

WA Biomass proposed the project in 2008 and recently received all development approvals, including the go-ahead from the Shire of Manjimup.

The company already has selected a preferred major contractor to provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services, and is currently in the process of selecting remaining subcontractors and equipment suppliers. Construction is expected to begin in the last quarter of this year, with an estimated construction period of nearly two years.

The proposal includes construction of a 1.5-kilometer, 66-kilovolt transmission line to connect with the nearest substation, which is south of the project site.

In addition to the Manjimup project, Westgen is also developing a 30-MW solar photovoltaic plant in Western Australia, along with the 810-MW Coolimba coal-fired power plant in Enebba, which was acquired from Aviva Corporation Limited (Perth) in 2013.

Similarly, NP Power Pty Limited, on behalf of National Power Group (Oakland, California) and Sustainable Power Partners Pty Limited (Brisbane, Australia), is developing the 10-MW Whyalla Solar Project in South Australia, with an ultimate plan to expand up to 200 MW.

All these projects, except the Coolimba coal-fired project, are at different phases of development. Westgen is evaluating the economic viability of the Coolimba project and has no immediate plans to construct the power plant.

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