// Carbon
The waste and resource recovery industry can provide additional, above and beyond abatement. We can provide zero-carbon electricity, zerocarbon heat, renewable fuel, energy from waste, vehicle emissions fleet management, carbon capture and sequestration to soil, and help trigger behaviour change using proven and reliable technology.
According to analysis undertaken recently by MRA, our sector could provide 35-41MtCO 2-e of abatement each year at a low cost of about $ 10 / ACCU thanks to the support from waste levies and grants. This abatement potential will grow rapidly as waste generation grows by about 7 % each year.
The industry’ s 40MtCO 2-e / yr abatement potential represents more than 7.5 % of Australia’ s current total emissions and could amount to as much as a third of the ongoing 160MtCO 2-e / yr abatement we will need to produce post 2050. We are the key to achieving net zero once all other industries have reduced their emissions as far as feasible.
Next steps
As an industry, we need to come together to clarify our role and our vision, and claim back our once leading position in the production of ACCUs. The next steps our sector needs to take next are: 1. Agree on a vision for the sector towards net zero and its role in assisting other sectors to reach that goal.
2. Promote this to regulators and other sectors of the industry;
3. Get the industry’ s abatement potential formally recognised by increasing the number of registered ERF projects. The source separated method is under-subscribed and good low-flow low-landfill-gasquality flares are now available. If you are planning to carry out any of the projects listed here within the next five years, you should register your project with the CER now, before you start, to avoid the risk of breaching the newness requirement.
4. For those ready to commit to deliver a fixed volume of abatement at a fixed price, the next and probably last opportunity to secure an ERF Carbon abatement Contract is expected this November. There is a role for current participants, local and state government in assisting with the uptake( for e. g. publishing case studies and business cases) 5. Actively participate in the design of the next scheme or policy.
Julien Gastaldi is MRA Consulting Group’ s business development manager and carbon. Contact: julien @ mraconsulting. com. au or 0479 043 903.
FIGURE 1: REDUCING EMISSIONS EARLIER LESSENS DISRUPTION AND RISKS OF FUTURE TRANSITION( SOURCE: MODIFIED FROM THE CLIMATE CHANGE AUTHORITY 2012 RECOMMENDATIONS)
FIGURE 2: EMISSIONS FROM SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL, 1990-2014
FIGURE 3: LOCATION OF THE CURRENT 125 ERF-WASTE PROJECTS COMPARED TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF ALL LANDFILLS
1 http:// www. climatecouncil. org. au / uploads / b7e53b20a7d6573e1ab269d36bb9b07c. pdf
2 https:// youtu. be / FpsIZwY22fo
3 http:// www. abc. net. au / news / 2016-06-07 / sydney-weather-storm-damaged-beachfront-homes-likely-dismantled / 7487056
4 https:// m. facebook. com / photo. php? fbid = 1119837621405889 & id = 437724219617236 & set = a. 439298789459779.107115.437724219617236 & refid = 13
5 http:// www. insurancecouncil. com. au / assets / media _ release / 2016 / 16062016 _ Insurance losses from east coast low soar as storm clouds start.... pdf
6 https:// www. environment. gov. au / system / files / resources / 0f56e5e6-e25e-4183-bbef-ca61e56777ef / files / risks-coastal-buildings. pdf
7 http:// www. aloa. com. au / wp-content / uploads / 2016 / 02 / ALOA-Climate-Change-Policy-Reiew-Final. pdf
8 https:// www. environment. gov. au / system / files / resources / 0f7d404c-edd4-4b97-b9f8-50789ce0280b / files / national-inventory-report-2014-vol2. pdf
9 http:// climateworks. com. au / project / national-projects / pathways-deep-decarbonisation-2050-how-australia-can-prosper-low-carbon iw
Weekly news updates at www. BEN-global. com / waste AUGUST 2016 INSIDEWASTE 27