WINNER - 2025 Outstanding Biomass Project
Congratulations to Visy and Northmore Gordon for winning the award for Outstanding Biomass Project in our 2025 Australian Renewable Heat Awards.
The Awards 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 this winning project below.
Visy Gibson Island Landfill Waste Diversion – Fuel Preparation Plant
Industry sector: Pulp & paper manufacturing
Location: Gibson Island, Brisbane, QLD
Completed: Commissioning 2023, ACCU registration commencement 2024
Project partners:
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Visy Paper Pty Ltd (project owner)
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Northmore Gordon Pty Ltd (measurement & verification, ERF accreditation)
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Steinert Australia (eddy‑current separators & magnets) TOMRA Sorting Solutions (optical sorters)
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John Thompson/IBL Services (multi‑fuel boiler upgrade)
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Project summary
Visy Pulp and Paper division, at its Gibson Island mill, has achieved an outstanding industrial biomass waste-to-energy project. The new Fuel Preparation Plant (FPP) transforming 33,000 t of landfill waste annually into renewable fuel that reduces annual boiler coal usage by 17,000 t and has combined verified emissions reductions under the Federal Emissions Reduction Fund of 34,000 t CO₂-e.
As part of a $48m upgrade to the Gibson Island recycling facility, the new plant processes mixed solid commercial and industrial waste and consisting of compactor rejects from the paper recycling plant, that would have entered landfill. The first stage employs shredding, eddy currents, magnets and optical sorting to recover metals/PVC recyclable materials (steel, aluminum and PVC) and the second stage manufactures a process engineered fuel from the remaining waste.
Coupled with a converted multi‑fuel boiler, the plant diverts waste from landfill and displaces coal with on‑site renewable biomass, cutting both landfill methane emissions and fossil CO₂ and reducing landfill levies.
Northmore Gordon designed and implemented the stacked carbon measurement strategy using the ERF Alternative Waste Treatment and Industrial & Commercial Emissions Reduction methods, and verified performance and emissions reductions of over 34,000 t CO₂‑e per annum.
The heating challenge addressed by the project
Visy faced a complex dual challenge: rising landfill costs threatening operational economics while meeting ambitious net-zero emission commitments. Queensland's escalating waste levies and corporate sustainability goals demanded an integrated solution that could simultaneously eliminate waste disposal costs and reduce fossil fuel dependency.
The technical challenge was formidable: create a consistent, boiler‑ready biomass fuel from contaminated, high‑moisture rejects and retrofit boiler & materials‑handling systems without interrupting continuous mill operation.
The existing steam generation system at Gibson Island required careful integration to avoid disrupting continuous mill operations. The facility operates multiple steam consumers including paper machines, starch cookers, and pulping processes, demanding consistent steam supply. Any fuel preparation system had to deliver reliable, consistent-quality fuel while the mill maintained 24/7 production schedules.
Additionally, the solution needed to meet stringent government carbon credit verification requirements. This demanded precise measurement and monitoring systems capable of accurately tracking waste diversion, fuel consumption, and emissions reductions in real-time.
Australian pulp and paper mills generate similar waste streams but lacked proven technologies for converting these materials into viable renewable fuels. Success at Gibson Island could establish a template for industry-wide waste-to-energy transformation.
The technologies featured in this project
The project integrates high-tech separation and combustion technologies to create an advanced industrial waste-to-fuel facility.
Advanced Fuel Preparation Plant: The automated Lindner primary shredder that handles diverse waste materials while minimizing equipment wear. Steinert over-belt magnetic separators and eddy-current systems achieve high metal recovery rates, extracting steel and aluminum for recycling revenue. Dual TOMRA near-infrared optical sorters provide precise material identification, removing PVC and other contaminants that could damage boiler systems.
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Precision fuel manufacturing
The remaining waste undergoes controlled processing to create process-engineered fuel with consistent moisture content and calorific value. Enclosed conveyor systems and automated silo storage ensure fuel quality while minimising handling losses and environmental impacts.
Multi-fuel boiler conversion
The new multi-fuel grate system features advanced combustion controls and automated fuel feeding mechanisms. Enhanced emission control systems ensure environmental compliance and optimizing thermal efficiency across different fuels.
Real-time monitoring platform
Northmore Gordon ensured an integrated measurement and verification system featuring dual belt-weigher for high accuracy sub-metering along with continuous fuel analytics. This platform enables precise carbon credit calculations while optimising operational efficiency.
Systems integration
Smart controls coordinate fuel preparation, storage, and combustion systems to maintain consistent steam generation. Automated quality controls ensure fuel specifications while backup gas-fired systems provide operational security during maintenance periods. The technology integration achieved seamless operation without interrupting continuous mill production, demonstrating successful retrofit capability for existing industrial facilities seeking waste-to-energy solutions.
Results and benefits of the project
The Gibson Island VP8 project has been an outstanding success for both Visy and the wider community.
Key metrics include:
Environmental impact
Annually over 33,000 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill, eliminating substantial methane emissions. In additional coal consumption was reduced by 50% (17,000 tonnes p.a). Combined the verified emissions reductions total 34,000 t CO₂-e annually, under the Federal Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF/CFI).
Economic performance
The revenue streams from the project are four-fold:
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annual fuel cost savings in the vicinity of $2m
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substantial landfill disposal savings (33 kt p.a.)
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the payback period further shortened by carbon credit revenue streams
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additional revenue through materials recovery, selling extracted steel, aluminum, and PVC to recycling markets.
Operational improvementPaper machine uptime improved by over 2% due to enhanced boiler reliability and reduced fuel supply disruptions. The multi-fuel capability provides operational flexibility, allowing optimisation based on fuel availability and pricing.
Industry leadership
As Australia's first pulp and paper facility with dual carbon credit method registration (AWT & ICER), the project establishes new benchmarks for industrial waste management. The success demonstrates commercial viability of waste-to-energy solutions for similar facilities nationwide.
Community benefits
Reduced truck movements to landfill sites decreased local traffic impacts and emissions.
Circular economy
The project transformed an internal waste liability into a renewable energy asset.
Learn more on the Visy website
