Van Wyk Biomass Plant (Revoked)

Van Wyk Biomass Plant (Revoked) is an industrial energy efficiency project located in Lyndhurst, a suburb approximately 35km southeast of Melbourne's CBD in Victoria. Registered in October 2017, the project is situated at the Van Wyk Flower Supply facility, a major wholesale flower grower. The surrounding region of Cranbourne and Lyndhurst lies on the Gippsland Plain and is historically known for market gardens, sand extraction, and grazing, though it is rapidly transitioning into peri-urban residential developments. The area typically experiences a temperate climate with moderate rainfall and is characterized by sandy loam soils, which are ideal for the horticulture operations undertaken by the proponent.

The project operated under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative-Industrial Electricity and Fuel Efficiency) Methodology Determination 2015. This methodology credits activities that improve energy efficiency or switch fuel sources in industrial settings to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Specifically, this project involved replacing two natural gas-fired boilers with a single 2.95 MW biomass plant fueled by wood waste (forestry and timber residues). The system included a large 2-million-litre insulated heat storage tank acting as a "thermal battery" to heat the massive glasshouses required for year-round flower production.

Notably, the project was revoked on April 4, 2019, under Section 33 of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011. Section 33 typically refers to a unilateral revocation by the Regulator because the project ceased to meet eligibility requirements. Public records indicate the facility subsequently participated in the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program, generating Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates (VEECs) instead of Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs). This suggests the revocation likely occurred because the project could not participate in both schemes simultaneously or shifted its focus to the state-based incentive program.