Secure the supply before you size the plant.

A feedstock plan connects reliable material supply with the plant’s operating needs. It should define quantity, quality, delivery and responsibilities across normal conditions and disruptions. A national resource estimate is a starting point; it is not a supply agreement. [[ Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), Australian Biomass for Bioenergy Assessment 2015-2021 ](https://arena.gov.au/projects/australian-biomass-for-bioenergy-assessment-project/); Shelby project-screening guidance]

Feedstock delivery trucks, weighbridges, samples and supply contract
Conceptual illustration · not a project photograph or engineering design

Build a monthly supply picture

Annual tonnes can hide seasonal gaps. Record expected deliveries by month, variations in composition, storage limits and the effect of drought, harvest changes or business shutdowns. Use weighed quantities and representative samples where available. Show uncertain quantities separately from verified supply.

Contract the service, not just the tonnes

Shelby recommends agreements that cover accepted materials, sampling, contamination limits, delivery schedules, rejected loads, price or gate-fee terms, and change procedures. Set responsibilities for transport, unloading and storage. Contract duration should be considered alongside the project’s financing and customer agreements; no single duration fits every material stream.

Compare collection costs with useful output

Two sources with equal wet tonnes may deliver different methane yields and different handling costs. Compare the cost of procuring, preparing and delivering material with the useful output it supports. Account for return journeys, waiting time, truck utilisation and any backhaul opportunity using actual logistics quotes.

Protect supply without oversizing

Several suitable suppliers may improve resilience, but mixing material can change treatment and product quality. Evaluate contingency material through the same technical and regulatory checks. The project should not depend on unverified backup tonnes to justify its capacity.

What to bring to a supplier conversation

Prepare a material description, monthly volume schedule, sampling results, delivery locations, current contracts and known competing uses. Identify the intended output pathway and any digestate constraints. The next step is a supply brief that an engineer, developer and potential buyer can assess together - not a generic promise of available biomass.

Frequently asked questions

Does a long contract guarantee reliable supply?

No. Quantity, quality, performance obligations, supplier resilience and workable remedies matter alongside duration.

Can gate fees be assumed as income?

Only where the supplier arrangement and permitted treatment route support them. Use signed or credible quoted terms and model changes.

What is the right collection radius?

There is no universal radius. Test road distance, load size, material value, yield and transport quotes for the proposed site.

Sources & References

  • Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), Australian Biomass for Bioenergy Assessment 2015-2021

    Publication: Date not verified

    Observation period: Australia; historical dataset

    Relevant page / section: Claim-level locator not yet verified

    Last link / title verification: 2026-10-11

    Publisher link checked; individual claims, costs and regulatory applicability still require review.

    Resource mapping informs screening; freshness, collection cost, ownership and contractability require checks.

  • US Environmental Protection Agency, AgSTAR Project Development Handbook

    Publication: 2014-12-22

    Observation period: Development guidance; use edition dates of linked chapters

    Relevant page / section: Claim-level locator not yet verified

    Last link / title verification: 2026-10-11

    Publisher link checked; individual claims, costs and regulatory applicability still require review.

    High for structured development guidance; US-specific regulations require adaptation

  • Shelby Bioenergy, Shelby’s National Renewable Gas Policy consultation response

    Publication: 2026-10

    Observation period: October 2026

    Relevant page / section: Supplied company position

    Last link / title verification: Not verified

    Company position / supplied material, not independent evidence.

    Proposals and scenarios, not adopted policy or market offers.