Global hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) specialist Licella, via Advanced Recycling Victoria, has had its development licence approved, giving it the green light to construct its advanced commercial recycling plant in Altona, Victoria.
The facility will incorporate Licella’s Cat-HTR (catalytic hydrothermal reactor) technology, which is a powerful decarbonation platform for producing high value, low carbon products, such as renewable fuels and biochemicals.
While older thermal upgrading technologies, such as pyrolysis and gasification, were developed in a less carbon-constrained world, the Cat-HTR has been developed to retain as much carbon in its products as possible.
Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria approved the application for the development licence, which is subject to conditions, by Advanced Recycling Victoria after several months of consideration and consultation.
It assessed the application against all requirements – focusing on the technology, air, noise, water and human health – and proposed it to be undertaken in a way that meets environmental standards.
EPA Victoria determined that risks of harm to human health and the environment are adequately managed.
Air emissions were modelled based on emissions estimates from a pilot plant, and the applicant also undertook a human health risk assessment based on conservative emission rates, which concluded the risk to be very low to human health.
Initially, the proposed facility would process 20,000 tonnes per annum of plastic, producing 17,000 tonnes of oil, reducing the need for virgin oil, and long-term, after planned expansions of capacity, will result in the production of nearly 100,000 tonnes of recycled food-grade plastics per year.
With over $100 million invested over 13 years, Licella’s Cat-HTR technology is already commercial-ready, and has been tested for its efficiency across a wide range of feedstocks, including mixed end-of-life plastics.
