Developing a Sustainable Future: The Casino Biohub Project Update
14 September 2023
Helmont Energy’s partnership with the Casino Food Co-op is bringing about an innovative and environmentally conscious endeavour – the Casino Biohub. This groundbreaking project is set to redefine waste management and energy production while benefiting the local community.
The Casino Biohub will primarily use organic waste from the Casino Food Co-op, harnessing its potential to generate renewable energy from biogas. Project details include:
The Casino Biohub will be built at the Casino Food Co-op’s existing livestock processing facility and tannery on Summerland Way. The Casino Food Co-op is the town’s largest employer and is a member-based Co-operative, located on the outskirts of town heading to Kyogle.
The Casino Biohub will transform existing organic wastewater from the Co-op into renewable energy, contributing to sustainability and resource efficiency.
The project is a collaboration between the Casino Food Co-op and Helmont Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of LMS Energy which is Australia's leading biogas company.
The project involves the capture of biogas generated by the natural breakdown of the organic matter in the Coop’s wastewater and using this renewable energy source to provide the site’s electricity in place of current fossil fuel use.
The facility is set to generate local employment opportunities, support agricultural practices, and enhance environmental wellbeing.
Renewable energy will be used by the Co-op to reduce its carbon footprint, thereby increasing self-resilience and reducing reliance on external energy sources.
It's a testament to the power of the circular economy, where waste is transformed into valuable resources and our impact on the environment is reduced.
Project Approval and Community Involvement
The proposal is deemed to be State Significant Development as it is for the development of a resource recovery facility that would receive and process more than 100,000 tonnes per year of waste. The proposal therefore requires assessment and approval in accordance with Part 4, Division 4.7 of Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 for determination by the NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, or delegate.
As a State Significant Development, the development application for the project must be accompanied by an Environmental Impact Statement prepared in accordance with the Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARS). A Scoping Report has been prepared to support an application to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment to request the SEARS. It includes a description of the project, the statutory framework, stakeholder engagement completed to date and proposed ongoing engagement, preliminary identification of relevant environmental matters, potential impacts, and the proposed scope of the assessment to be undertaken in the Environmental Impact Statement. This report is available on the NSW Government Major Projects website at (https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/projects/casino-biohub-bioenergy-facility).
Helmont Energy plan to submit the EIS in Q1 2024, which will be put on exhibition for public review and comment under the process set out in the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.
Your Feedback Matters
As part of the development process, Helmont Energy will be conducting further community engagement initiatives and will provide regular updates via this website, project emails and [other communications channels].
We encourage you to share your insights through our online survey, taking just a few minutes of your time. Additionally, you can access the introductory letter distributed to the community in March 2023 here, the follow up letter distributed September 2023 here, and our Frequently Asked Questions which includes a summary of the planning process.
For Further Information
If you have questions or seek more information about the online survey or the proposed Casino Biohub, please don't hesitate to contact Jamie Seaton of Element Environment at community@elementenvironment.com.au.
Together, we're shaping a more sustainable future for our community through the Casino Biohub Project.