E2301 Replacement

E2301 Replacement is an industrial energy efficiency project located at the Viva Energy Geelong Refinery in Corio, approximately 7km north of the Geelong city centre in Victoria. Registered on May 4, 2021, the project is situated within a heavy industrial zone adjacent to Corio Bay, a region historically defined by manufacturing and port-related activities.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Industrial Electricity and Fuel Efficiency) Methodology Determination 2015. This methodology is designed to credit abatement generated by improving the energy efficiency of industrial equipment. Projects of this type typically involve modifying, removing, or replacing energy-consuming machinery, such as boilers, pumps, or heat exchangers, to reduce the amount of electricity or fuel required for the same level of output. Specifically, the "E2301 Replacement" likely refers to the upgrade of a specific heat exchanger unit (standard engineering nomenclature often uses 'E' prefixes for exchangers), aligning with the stated activity of "waste heat capture and re-use."

While the immediate project site is heavily modified industrial land, the broader Geelong region is characterized by a temperate oceanic climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 525mm. The surrounding landscape consists of the Western Volcanic Plains, typically featuring basalt-derived clays and loamy soils, which support the grazing and cropping industries found on the city's outskirts.

An interesting note regarding this facility is that the Geelong Refinery is one of only two remaining oil refineries in Australia, making it a critical asset for national fuel security. Viva Energy has been actively investing in various upgrades at the site, including Ultra-Low Sulphur Gasoline production and energy efficiency improvements to lower the facility's carbon intensity.