It is a familiar story the world over, even households that are devoted to recycling and composting end up with some waste that is traditionally sent to landfill, and with concerns growing about the greenhouse gas emissions that landfill creates, there is growing demand for more sustainable solutions.

In Australia, a new waste-to-energy plant that meets this demand is set to swing into action in 2022 at East Rockingham, 45km south of Perth. This is where the Australian arm of Swiss cleantech company Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI) will be implementing its proven thermal EfW (energy from waste) solution at the heart of a  $511 million project, which will use the ABB ACF5000 multi-component gas analyzer system to ensure the operation meets all Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) standards.

The plant will generate 29MW of electricity for the state-owned grid, enough to power 40,000 homes from up to 330,000 tonnes of municipal, industrial and commercial waste. The composition of the feedstock is endlessly varied because no two rubbish loads are the same, so cleaning the flue gasses to a very high standard is critical. Three ABB ACF5000 analyzers, running ABB Ability™ Condition Monitoring software, have been selected for the job, as part of a complete continuous emission monitoring (CEMS) solution to accurately monitor the composition of exhaust gases.

The analyzers will be shipped to Australia from our factory in Germany, then programmed, wired and plumbed at our Moorebank site to HZI’s specifications, for delivery to site in their own housing – the structure is about the size of a shipping container. Once on site, the gas inlet will be connected to the main plant, the analyzers will be hooked up to the power, and then they will be ready for 24/7 monitoring of the waste-to-energy process.

ABB’s remote monitoring capability was essential to our technology being selected for the project. Our engineers will be able to check that everything is running smoothly and they will be able to do this at any time, without having to visiting the site. This is thanks to our remote services capability, secured by world-class cybersecurity technologies.

During commissioning and start-up, our service team in Perth will also be on site, however, and available as required. The combination of ABB’s analytics, local capabilities, and deep domain expertise means we can contribute across the value chain from engineering, to project execution, to support. 

The comprehensive nature of our CEMS technology is important. When I spoke with Dr. Marc Stammbach, Managing Director of HZI’s Australian arm, he explained how the continuous innovation of  small multi-composite electronics  is already making  waste disposal increasingly challenging, and that over the life of the East Rockingham plant, the materials in the waste process will undoubtedly change. Items that are a mixture of materials, such as plastic toys containing electrical chips. demand careful disposal because of the mixed composition of the waste stream when they are burned. Monitoring flue gas is an integral part of the process.

Australia is only at the start of its waste-to-energy journey and at least 20-30 more plants are needed across the country. In other parts of the world, too, waste-to-energy is as a powerful alternative to landfill. Worldwide, the waste-to-energy market is growing exponentially, everywhere governed by increasingly strict emissions regulations.

Safely turning waste that can’t be otherwise recycled or composted into electricity is an inspiring solution, provided the right safeguards are in place. The plant at East Rockingham is a good example of what can be done. I am excited to be involved in this ground-breaking waste-to-energy project that helps reduce the environmental impact of waste management and supports our vision for a more sustainable world.

Read more about how to select the right CEMS solution in our recent blog.