Malabar Biomethane Project

GPA was engaged to support the development of Australia’s first production facility to inject biomethane into the gas distribution network, which is also the first participating project in GreenPower’s Renewable Gas Certification Scheme.

Jemena, in partnership with Sydney Water, constructed the Malabar Biomethane Injection Plant at Sydney Water’s existing Malabar Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF). The WRRF produces biogas by anaerobic digestion of organic waste in waste water, and uses the biogas on site for electrical power generation and heating. Excess biogas production unused by the WRRF was previously wasted and released to atmosphere following combustion by waste gas burners.

The Malabar Biomethane Injection Plant receives the excess biogas produced by the WRRF and upgrades it to biomethane, which is then injected into the gas grid for use across Jemena’s NSW Gas Distribution Network.

GPA provided a range of engineering services for the project, including: 

• Balance of plant process, mechanical, civil/structural, electrical and control system design to integrate and interface the biogas upgrading package into the existing WRRF site and gas network. 
• Design of required piping interconnections, instrumentation, control systems, main electrical distribution board, reticulation/cabling, and services required to supply the upgrading package with biogas, deliver produced biomethane to the network injection skid, and dispose of produced water from the process. 
• Provision of deliverables for assurance of process and personnel safety for the new plant including hazardous area classification, vent studies including flammable and toxic dispersion modelling, a Fire Safety Study, and safety in design study facilitation and participation. 
• Support in the design and process safety review of the biomethane custody transfer set to deliver biomethane to the gas network.  

• Support to Jemena for procurement of balance of plant equipment. 
• On-site construction and commissioning support. 
• Site civils design for the new plant. 
• Design of the earth grid. 

The Malabar Biomethane Injection Plant has demonstrated that waste products can be converted and repurposed as part of efforts to lower Australia’s carbon footprint. The potential for biomethane to be a competitive and sustainable consumer product is a promising addition to Australia’s future fuel mix. With biomethane used widely in many countries throughout the world, GPA look forward to supporting the further development of the Australian industry.