Gladstone Alternative Fuels Increase Program

The Gladstone Alternative Fuels Increase Program is an industrial fuel switching project located at Cement Australia's manufacturing facility at Fisherman's Landing, approximately 12km northwest of Gladstone, Queensland. Registered in August 2022, the project operates within the heavy industrial zone of the Gladstone State Development Area. While the provided coordinates point towards the general Gladstone port and power station precinct, likely reflecting a registered office or material sourcing point, the physical fuel switching activities take place at the main kiln at Fisherman's Landing.

The project operates under the Industrial and Commercial Emissions Reduction (ICER) methodology. This framework awards carbon credits for reducing the emissions intensity of industrial processes, typically by upgrading equipment or switching fuel sources. In this specific instance, the "Alternative Fuels Increase Program" involves modifying the cement kiln's combustion system to replace a higher percentage of fossil fuels (such as coal and gas) with lower-emission alternative fuels. These alternatives often include Refuse Derived Fuels (RDF), waste oil, solvents, and end-of-life tyres, thereby diverting waste from landfill while lowering the facility's carbon footprint.

Environmentally, the Gladstone region is characterized by a sub-tropical climate with a distinct wet season during the summer months. Average annual rainfall is approximately 800mm to 900mm. The surrounding landscape consists of coastal flats and reclaimed industrial land, often sitting atop clay and texture-contrast soils (chromosols), although the immediate project site is heavily modified for industrial use.

An interesting facet of this project is its alignment with Cement Australia's broader decarbonization roadmap, which aims to phase out coal significantly. In late 2022, around the time of this project's registration, the proponent also announced collaborations to explore green methanol production using carbon captured from this same facility, highlighting the site's role as a hub for experimental low-carbon technologies.