Wollongong CMWM Power Generation Project (Revoked)

Wollongong CMWM Power Generation Project (Revoked) was a Coal Mine Waste Gas (CMWG) project located in the suburb of Keiraville, approximately 3km northwest of the Wollongong CBD in New South Wales. Registered in April 2016, the project was sited near the foothills of the Illawarra Escarpment, an area characterized by a mix of urban development, conservation forestry, and historic coal mining operations. The provided coordinates pinpoint a location within the University of Wollongong precinct, likely serving as an administrative centroid or research partner location rather than the industrial site of the gas vents, which are typically found at nearby collieries such as those operated by Wollongong Coal (e.g., Russell Vale or Wongawilli).

The project operated under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative-Coal Mine Waste Gas) Methodology Determination 2015. This methodology credits the capture and combustion of methane, a potent greenhouse gas released during coal mining, that would otherwise be vented into the atmosphere. By installing electricity production devices, the project intended to convert this waste gas into useful energy, chemically transforming the methane into less harmful carbon dioxide while generating power for the grid or local use.

Ecologically, the Illawarra region is defined by a warm temperate climate with high rainfall, particularly near the escarpment where orographic lift occurs. The soils in the broader region are typically derived from the Narrabeen Group and Hawkesbury Sandstone, consisting of clays and sandy loams that support the dense wet sclerophyll forests of the adjacent conservation areas.

Despite its registration, the project faced significant hurdles. A carbon abatement contract (CAC826426) secured in November 2016 was terminated or lapsed by May 2018. Subsequently, the project itself was revoked on September 12, 2019, under section 30 of the CFI Rule, which typically pertains to voluntary revocation by the proponent. The proponent, Our Energy Group Pty Limited, appears to have had a portfolio of similar CMWG projects (including Grasstree and Central Coast No. 2) that were also revoked around the same period, suggesting a broader systemic failure in their proposed project pipeline.