Swanbank Renewable Energy and Waste Management Facility
Location:
Ipswich
Client:
Thiess Services
Capability:
Waste Management
Contract Type:
Owner and Operator
Start Date:
January 1997
Duration:
January 1997 to ongoing
Thiess Services Swanbank Renewable Energy and Waste Management Facility (Swanbank) was the first privately owned and operated engineered landfill in Queensland. Comprising 250ha of former coal mines, the site is located near Ipswich, approximately 50 kilometres south of Brisbane’s CBD.
As one of the largest landfill sites in Australia, Swanbank accepts some 500,000 tonnes of waste each year and is a leading example of world’s best practice in landfill design, construction and operation.
Stage 1 of the landfill operations is progressively being divided into fully lined landfill cells, incorporating a groundwater interception system, a composite clay bentonite mat and high density polyethylene liner, a leachate collection system and a gas extraction system. Close to 45ha in area, stage 1 has an approximate lifespan of 10 years before operations progress to Stage 2.
Swanbank also features one of the largest waste-to-energy projects for a single landfill in Australia and was the first to co-fire black coal with landfill gas to create green energy – the ReOrganic program. The most significant resource recovery is the landfill gas collection system. Interim wells are installed from the outset to capture the greatest possible gas quantities, then piped to CS Energy’s neighbouring power station and converted to approximately 56,000MW hours of electricity each year. At current flow rates this represents greenhouse gas reduction of 147,555 tonnes CO2e each year. Results are enhanced by the site-wide leachate recirculation system, where the team can adjust leachate to quicken degradation and accelerate gas production in areas producing more methane-rich gas.
Swanbank also has the capability to manage diverse aspects of the waste stream, including biosolids. The facility currently treats some160, 000 tonnes of biosolids each year, which are mixed, cured and processed over time, preparing the final product for beneficial reuse.
Thiess Services has established collaborative and close working relationships with the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM, formerly the EPA), Ipswich City Council, and the local community.
Through the environmental interpretive education centre and bi-annual open days jointly sponsored with the neighbouring Power Station, CS Energy, Swanbank provides public education programs on all aspects of waste management and promotes its waste-to-energy innovations.
