CSBP Kwinana Nitric Acid Ammonium Nitrate Decarbonisation Project - Phase 1

The CSBP Kwinana Nitric Acid Ammonium Nitrate Decarbonisation Project - Phase 1 is an industrial emissions reduction project located within the Kwinana Industrial Area, approximately 40km south of the Perth CBD in Western Australia. Registered in August 2022, the project operates within the CSBP Kwinana industrial complex rather than covering a broad land area.

This project operates under the Industrial and Commercial Emissions Reduction (ICER) methodology. This methodology generates carbon credits by upgrading equipment or modifying industrial processes to reduce the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions. Specifically, this project focuses on the installation of secondary or tertiary abatement catalysts in nitric acid plants. These catalysts decompose nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential significantly higher than CO2, into nitrogen and oxygen before it is released into the atmosphere.

The Kwinana region is Western Australia’s primary heavy industrial hub, surrounded by the broader Swan Coastal Plain. The environment is characterized by a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters, receiving an average annual rainfall of approximately 750mm. The soils in this coastal strip are typically sandy, belonging to the Spearwood or Bassendean dune systems, which are naturally infertile and well-draining. While the immediate site is strictly industrial, the surrounding region supports a mix of urban development and market gardening.

CSBP Limited, a subsidiary of Wesfarmers Chemicals, Energy & Fertilisers (WesCEF), manages the project. Notably, the project has received significant support, including a $32.9 million grant from the Federal Government's Powering the Regions Fund to accelerate the rollout of tertiary catalysts. The project’s carbon abatement contract (CAC899602) was finalized in 2023, marking a rapid delivery of its initial contractual obligations.