Berrima Alternative Fuel Substitution and Kiln Energy Efficiency Project
ERF163714
Project Information:
Berrima Alternative Fuel Substitution and Kiln Energy Efficiency Project is an energy efficiency project located at the Boral Berrima Cement Works in New Berrima, approximately 10km west of Bowral in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. It was registered in May 2021 and operates within an industrial facility rather than covering a traditional land area.
The project utilizes the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative-Industrial and Commercial Emissions Reduction) Methodology Determination 2021. This methodology allows industrial and commercial sites to earn Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by reducing greenhouse gas emissions through upgrading to energy-efficient equipment, improving control processes, or switching to lower-emission fuel sources.
The region around New Berrima is characterized by heavy industrial land use, anchored by the cement works which produces a significant portion of the state's cement, surrounded by agricultural grazing and semi-rural properties. The Southern Highlands environment features a temperate, high-rainfall climate, with local soils generally consisting of clay loams, rich basalts, and historically significant limestone deposits.
Managed by project proponent Northmore Gordon Pty Ltd on behalf of Boral, this project aims to reduce fuel and electricity emissions at the cement plant through activities such as upgrading heat exchangers, installing variable speed drives, capturing waste heat, and fuel switching. A major aspect of this initiative involves transitioning the plant's massive kiln away from coal towards alternative, waste-derived fuels. In late 2025, Boral received a $25.45 million grant from the NSW Government to help the Berrima plant install new technology, such as a chlorine bypass system, to accelerate this transition. The project is targeting a 60% substitution of coal with alternative fuels, which is expected to drastically cut emissions and divert over 73,000 tonnes of waste from landfills each year.
Recommended Reading
- Carbon Eyes Project Explorer | ERF163714
- Clean Energy Regulator Register | ERF163714
- Boral Cement Works Berrima | Boral
- Boral secures $25M NSW Government grant to accelerate the transition of cement manufacturing to alternative fuel – targeting 60% substitution
- $25 million grant backs cleaner cement production in Southern Highlands | NSW Climate and Energy Action
- Green Review | NSW government grants $25.45M to reduce cement emissions
- Industrial and commercial emissions reduction method | Clean Energy Regulator