Your Electricity Development Pathway, VIC

Action plan

Confidence 0%

First / Perform a feedstock audit to confirm daily manure tonnage and volatile solids content.

Next / Map onsite heat and electricity loads to determine the potential for 'behind-the-meter' savings versus export.

Then / Screen the candidate routes for biomethane versus electricity based on local gas network proximity [VIC-6].

Decision gate / Review offtake interest for digestate and heat before committing to a specific conversion technology.

Developing this pathway in VIC

Confidence 0%

Victoria has a mature agricultural biogas sector with 13 matching manure and effluent pathways identified in public registries, including projects by Kia Ora Piggery and Charles I.F.E. BerryBank Farm. However, the absence of published capacity for many records indicates a need for careful site-specific screening rather than relying on regional scale.

Confirm EPA Victoria Permissions

• Why it matters for you: Processing organic waste requires specific environmental permissions based on scale and activity type [VIC-2].
• Evidence needed: Proposed plant throughput compared against A07a (large) and A07b (small) organic waste processing thresholds [VIC-3, VIC-4].
• Next action: Submit a pre-application enquiry to EPA Victoria regarding the anaerobic digestion of dairy manure.
• Who confirms it: EPA Victoria.
• Why it matters for you: Electricity and gas connections involve different infrastructure and different Victorian network operators.
• Evidence needed: Distribution Network Service Provider (DNSP) capacity at the specific site location.
• Next action: Contact the local electricity network operator to assess grid injection capacity.
• Who confirms it: Local DNSP.

Project Objective and Scenario

Confidence 0%

The objective is to investigate the development of an electricity-generating anaerobic digestion plant in Victoria using manure from 500 fully housed dairy cows. Modelled output indicates a gross electricity production of 1,208 kWh/day, which at the scenario price of 0.056 AUD/kWh, yields approximately A$23,451 per year (ex-GST). This is a net CHP calculation after plant allowance but does not account for verified site export capacity or connection costs. While electricity is the primary focus, the scenario identifies several candidate routes with higher gross revenue potential, including Biomethane (A$60,623/yr) and Digestate (A$390,094/yr dry equivalent). The plant status is currently unsure, and network injection feasibility for gas or electricity has not been determined. Commercial viability not established; the next task is a site-specific load profile and CAPEX assessment.

Commercialisation screen

Confidence 0%

Commercial viability not established. The next task is the development of a formal CAPEX and OPEX budget. The electricity price (A$0.056/kWh) is a market benchmark and not a verified sale price; site-specific behind-the-meter savings typically exceed export rates. The scenario excludes certificates and funding from the base case, which is a significant unknown as these often support project bankability in VIC. Competing uses for the manure, such as direct land application without digestion, must be weighed against the modelled digestate value of A$600/t. Recoverable CO2 and Hydrogen show high illustrative revenues but require high-purity processing that is not currently modelled.

Your next pathway decisions

Confidence 0%

The primary resource is Collected animal manure. Successful conversion relies on the actual tonnage collected, which is assumed based on 500 cows but remains an unknown without site data. The proposed electricity route must be compared against the biomethane route (441 Nm³/day), which offers higher indicative gross revenue.

Verify Manure Collection Efficiency

• Why it matters for you: Herd size alone does not establish available feedstock; collection systems in dairy sheds vary significantly in recovery rates.
• Evidence needed: Daily dry matter tonnage and moisture content data from the specific housing facility.
• Next action: Conduct a feedstock audit to determine the actual tonnes per day available for the digester.
• Who confirms it: Resource-owner or onsite operations manager.

Assess Heat and Digestate Valorisation

• Why it matters for you: Electricity revenue alone is marginal; the model suggests useful heat (3,802 kWh/day) and digestate (1.9 t/day dry equiv) carry significantly higher potential value.
• Evidence needed: Local heat demand profile and a nutrient analysis of the processed solids.
• Next action: Screen local industrial or agricultural users for heat and organic fertiliser offtake.
• Who confirms it: Commercialisation lead and potential local offtakers.

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1,208 kWh/day figure include plant parasitic loads?

Yes, electricity is calculated as net CHP after the included plant allowance according to the engine ecosystem-1.0.0 model.

Can I sell the recoverable CO2 immediately?

No, CO2 sales are not verified. The model shows a theoretical mass, but commercial viability and quality requirements are not established.

Is the digestate value guaranteed?

No, the A$600/t price is an illustrative assumption for processed product and is not a verified sale price or offer.

Why is biomethane revenue higher than electricity?

Based on the scenario price assumptions, the energy value of the gas (9.99 AUD/GJ) exceeds the value of the electricity produced (0.056 AUD/kWh) from the same gas volume.

Sources & References

www.energy.vic.gov.au

www.epa.vic.gov.au

www.epa.vic.gov.au

www.epa.vic.gov.au

www.epa.vic.gov.au

www.agig.com.au