25 September 2024
Congratulations to Suntory Oceania for winning the award for Outstanding Biomass Project in our inaugural Australian Renewable Heat Awards.
The Awards will recognise the innovative work out there which is leading the transition to renewable heat and setting the benchmarks for projects that follow.
Learn more about Suntory's winning project below.
Suntory Oceania Biomass Boiler Project
Industry sector: beverage manufacturing
Location: Swanbank, Ipswich, Queensland
Completed: August 2024
Project partners: Justsen Energiteknik
Project summary:
Global Spirits and Suntory Beverage & Food are partnering to create a new multi-beverage powerhouse – Suntory Oceania. The business is part of the Suntory Group, a global food and beverage powerhouse with a rich 120-year history and an ambition to inspire the brilliance of life in harmony with people and nature. This includes a ‘Growing for Good’ philosophy, a belief that we can grow while contributing to the community and protecting the environments in which we live and work.
Our new multi-beverage facility in Ipswich, Queensland exemplifies this commitment with its ambition to achieve carbon neutrality. The facility’s extensive needs for electrical energy and thermal heat are met through innovative technologies. Key features of the project include:
• A Justsen Energiteknik biomass boiler: uses organic materials to generate heat sustainably.
• Two ORC turbines: converts 2MW of waste heat into green electricity, enhancing energy efficiency.
• 7,000 solar panels: harnessing solar power to reduce our carbon footprint.
• Purchase Power Agreement with CleanCo Queensland: secures renewable energy supply to support our carbon-neutral goal.
Through these integrated solutions, the Queensland facility is testament to our dedication to environmental stewardship, aligned to our long-term carbon strategy.
The heating challenge the project addressed:
As part of our sustainability ambitions, Suntory Oceania has set near-term targets through the Science Based Targets Initiative, including a 50% reduction in carbon emissions (scopes 1 & 2) by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
These targets were a key consideration in deciding to install a biomass boiler at our new Queensland facility. Although wood biomass technology is well-understood, it presents some challenges, such as slow responsiveness to load changes and potential energy losses. Additionally, securing a reliable and economically feasible fuel supply that is certified as carbon neutral can be difficult.
To address this, we partnered with Australian Biomass to source local fuel that meets the Forest Management Systems AS4708-2023 and Chain of Custody of Forest Products AS4707-2024 standards. This solution ensured a sustainable and reliable fuel supply. Furthermore, collaborating with g-tet Thermal Energy enabled us to address energy loss concerns effectively. By converting waste heat into green electricity, we have nearly eliminated all recoverable heat losses, advancing our goal of a carbon-neutral facility.
Through these innovative solutions and partnerships, Suntory Oceania continues to embrace sustainable practices and is one step closer to achieving our long-term carbon strategy.
Please detail the technologies implemented/upgraded and any technologies which were replaced:
Our multi-layered energy strategy for our new facility is set to establish a new standard for sustainable technology in the industry.
Key features of the facility include:
Wood Biomass Boiler: Supplied by Justsen Energiteknik from Denmark, this high-pressure (10 bar) and high-temperature (150°C) hot water boiler is fully automated and burns wood chips sourced from Australian Biomass. The wood supply adheres to the Forest Management Systems AS4708-2023 and Chain of Custody of Forest Products AS4707-2024 standards, ensuring sustainability and reliability.
ORC Turbines: Two specially designed ORC turbines, manufactured by g-tet Thermal Energy, convert up to 2MW of waste heat into electrical energy. This conversion is crucial for supporting our carbon-neutral objectives.
Solar panels: With over 7,000 solar panels installed, the facility generates sufficient electricity to power approximately 900 Australian homes. On certain occasions, the facility will produce more energy than it consumes, allowing us to become a green energy producer. This surplus energy is exported to the Australian market through our Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Clean Co, resulting in the generation of excess Large-scale Generation Certificates (LGCs). These LGCs will be used to offset the carbon footprint of our other Australian operations.
This innovative facility supports global and local environmental goals, placing Suntory Oceania at the forefront of green energy production while enabling us to advance our sustainability goals and accelerate our 2030 and 2050 carbon targets
Please detail the results which have been delivered by this project:
Suntory Oceania’s state-of-the-art site facility sets a new benchmark for sustainable manufacturing. The 7,000 solar panels, a green energy agreement with CleanCo, a wood biomass boiler, and two ORC generators collectively establish a new standard for environmental responsibility in the industry.
The multi-layered energy approach ensures there is very little wasted energy from the biomass boiler. This waste heat is captured and turned into electricity through the two ORC generators. The result of the energy strategy and fuel supply through Australian Biomass, the facility can achieve carbon neutrality under the Carbon Active standard in 2025.
Please detail any special innovations included in the project which make it cutting edge:
The biomass boiler and wood chip handling system at the Swanbank facility have been engineered for high automation and can operate unmanned, with oversight managed under OC1 (Occupation Certification) in-house management.
A key innovation that enhances the facility's cutting-edge status is the integration of two ORC turbines. This technology enables the boiler to maintain a stable wood supply rate, using the required heat for the beverage facility while converting any excess waste heat into clean, green electricity. This dual functionality not only improves sustainability by boosting electricity generation but also optimizes the operation of the biomass boiler by virtually eliminating recoverable heat losses.
The electricity generated by the ORC turbines can be utilised within the facility or exported to the national grid through our Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with CleanCo, further advancing our commitment to sustainable energy practices.
Please list any federal or state funding which supported this project:
Suntory Oceania is partnering with Queensland Treasury. The project is proudly supported by the Queensland Government’s Invested in Queensland Program.