Teys Australia Naracoorte - Covered Anaerobic Lagoon (CAL) Development

Teys Australia Naracoorte - Covered Anaerobic Lagoon (CAL) Development is an industrial wastewater emissions reduction project located at the Teys beef processing facility in Hynam, approximately 8km east of the township of Naracoorte in South Australia's Limestone Coast region. Registered in April 2016, the project operates under the Carbon Farming Initiative's wastewater methodology. The facility sits within a region heavily utilized for primary industries, specifically livestock grazing, cropping, and viticulture, supported by the area's rich agricultural heritage.

The project operates under the Domestic, Commercial and Industrial Wastewater methodology. This method credits the reduction of methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas, that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere from deep, open anaerobic lagoons used to treat industrial effluent. By installing a Covered Anaerobic Lagoon (CAL), the project captures the biogas generated during the decomposition of organic matter in the wastewater. This captured gas is then combusted to convert the methane into carbon dioxide, which has a significantly lower global warming potential.

Environmentally, the Naracoorte region is characterized by a Mediterranean climate with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. The area typically receives an average annual rainfall between 480mm and 550mm. The soil profile in this specific part of the Limestone Coast is renowned for its "Terra Rossa" soils, shallow, free-draining red loams over limestone, as well as sandy loams over clay, which facilitate the region's productive grazing and vineyard operations.

While the project's primary registered activity description notes the combustion of biogas using a flaring device, industry reports highlight that this facility has advanced beyond simple flaring. The captured biogas is utilized in a cogeneration unit to produce renewable electricity and heat for the processing plant, significantly offsetting the site's reliance on grid energy. This initiative was recognized with the South Australian Premier's Energy and Mining Award in 2019, demonstrating a sophisticated integration of waste-to-energy technology that reduces the facility's carbon intensity by approximately 22,000 tonnes annually.