Riverina Oils & Bioenergy Fuel Substitution Project

Riverina Oils & Bioenergy Fuel Substitution Project is an energy efficiency and fuel switching project located approximately 5km south of the Wagga Wagga city centre in NSW. It was registered in February 2023 and, as it is a commercial facility upgrade, does not have a designated project area in hectares.

The project operates under the Industrial and Commercial Emissions Reduction methodology. This methodology involves reducing energy-related greenhouse gas emissions by upgrading, replacing, or modifying existing emissions-producing equipment. Standard requirements dictate that the new equipment must lower the overall emissions intensity of the site, which in this case is achieved by substituting fuel sources and installing lower emissions-intensity off-grid electricity generation.

The Wagga Wagga and broader Riverina area is highly regarded for its agricultural land use, predominantly focusing on broadacre cropping (such as canola and wheat) alongside livestock grazing. The region experiences a temperate climate with a semi-arid influence, receiving a moderate average annual rainfall of approximately 570-625mm. The local environment is characterised by heavy clay soils, red chromosols, and red-brown earths.

An interesting fact about this project is that Riverina Oils & Bioenergy (ROBE) operates a major, state-of-the-art canola oil processing plant at this location. To achieve its sustainability and innovation goals, the company has actively pursued direct connections to a nearby solar plant and has worked on substituting its natural gas usage with a biomass boiler. This transition directly aligns with the project's registered fuel substitution activities, managed by the project proponent Northmore Gordon Pty Ltd.