Rendering energy efficiency and savings through Double Effect Disc Drying

The most thermal energy-intensive activity on the plant is rendering (cooking drying). Natural gas is the sector's single largest source of thermal energy, providing 54% of total process heat (AMPC EPR2024). In addition to high volumes of sectoral gas consumption, some members have experienced gas price increases of up to 100% since 2020. The prospects for affordable grid gas in Australia in future years is unreliable at best, this is due to the following facts; * Australia is the largest LNG exporter in the world, however, the Australian red meat processing industry gas consumption makes up only 15% of national gas production. * Global LNG prices will continue to have volatile and material impacts on domestic prices. * Domestic gas policy mechanisms are not "fit-for-purpose" when it comes to creating competitive domestic gas prices. * Australia will have increasing costs in developing "non conventional" gas, as cheaper "conventional" gas sources are depleted. * No red meat processors currently benefit from Commonwealth support under the Safeguard Mechanism for large scope 1 emitters. The red meat processor sector is probably one of the most exposed Australian industry sectors when it comes to domestic gas risks and we need to continue to work hard in improving plant thermal energy efficiency, particularly in the rendering area, if we are to mitigate these gas volatility risks in future years. Pinches Industries has developed a new thermal energy efficiency retrofit process, called “the double effect disc dryer”. It focuses on efficiency in the industrial drying processes for rendering. This project will support building a mobile pilot scale plant. The technology prototype has achieved "proof-of-concept", and this "real world" small pilot will be trialled at 3 plants. It will take low-grade waste vapour from industrial rendering processes and recycle it, in combination with air injection, as a viable heat source to perform a significant level of secondary drying, aimed to allow a saving of 30% of the initial energy. This technology and process may generate annual gas savings for medium-large beef rendering plants of ~$410k p.a. and, with potential for additional "white certificates" under various energy efficiency and carbon reduction schemes, it could have a payback of around 4 years. Assuming there are 5 progressive adoptions over 5 years, a sectoral BCR > 3x could be achieved in that time. Additional revenue may also be enabled through the more productive processing of FOG wastes (e.g. DAF float to 3rd grade tallow).