WTS Mt Gambier Fuel Switch

WTS Mt Gambier Fuel Switch is an industrial energy efficiency project located approximately 4km southwest of the Mount Gambier city centre in South Australia. Registered in November 2018, the project is operated by Whiteheads Timber Sales Pty Ltd, a long-standing family-owned timber processor, with advisory support from EnergyLink Services. The facility is situated within the "Green Triangle," a premier forestry region known for its extensive Pinus radiata plantations and wood fiber processing industries.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Industrial and Commercial Emissions Reduction) Methodology Determination 2021. Originally established under the 2015 Industrial Electricity and Fuel Efficiency method, the project transitioned to the updated 2021 determination in May 2025. This methodology credits the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions achieved by upgrading industrial equipment or changing fuel sources. Specifically, this project involves a "fuel switch" activity where a natural gas-fired boiler was replaced with a biomass boiler. This new system utilizes waste sawdust generated onsite from milling operations to produce heat for timber drying kilns, thereby displacing fossil fuels and creating a circular economy loop within the sawmill.

The Mount Gambier region is characterized by a cool-summer Mediterranean climate with reliable annual rainfall averaging between 700mm and 800mm. The area is geologically distinct, famous for its volcanic landscape, including the Blue Lake, and features fertile volcanic ash soils (Andic Tenosols) and terra rossa soils over limestone. These soil conditions support the region's productive forestry and agricultural sectors. The project serves as a significant example of industrial decarbonization in the timber sector, estimated to reduce emissions by approximately 3,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year while lowering operating costs.