Maryvale Mill High Pressure Header Elimination and Stripper Heat Exchangers Replacement Project (Revoked)

Maryvale Mill High Pressure Header Elimination and Stripper Heat Exchangers Replacement Project was an industrial energy efficiency project located at the Maryvale Paper Mill in the Latrobe Valley, Victoria. The site is situated approximately 8km north of Morwell and 150km east of Melbourne. Registered in October 2015 by Paper Australia Pty Ltd (trading as Opal Australian Paper), the project operated for nearly five years before being revoked in May 2020.

The project operated under the Industrial Electricity and Fuel Efficiency methodology. Unlike land-sector projects that sequester carbon in vegetation, this methodology awards carbon credits for reducing emissions intensity through engineering upgrades. Specifically, this project focused on modifying high-pressure headers and replacing stripper heat exchangers, equipment critical for managing steam and heat recovery in the paper-making process. By improving the efficiency of these systems, the project aimed to reduce the amount of electricity or fuel required per unit of production.

The Maryvale Mill is situated in a region defined by a mix of heavy industry, forestry, and agriculture. The Latrobe Valley has a temperate climate with reliable rainfall, supporting the extensive pine and eucalypt plantations that supply fibre to the mill. The soils in the surrounding region are typically acidic texture-contrast soils, often consisting of sandy loams over clay, which are well-suited for forestry and grazing operations.

This project was voluntarily revoked under Section 30 of the CFI Rule in 2020. This section allows proponents to withdraw a project if they no longer wish to participate or if the project acts as a precursor to different energy strategies. The Maryvale Mill is Australia’s largest integrated pulp and paper manufacturing facility and has since explored other major energy initiatives, such as large-scale Energy from Waste (EfW) facilities, to further transition its energy supply.