Major meat company Teys Australia will receive money for two of its sites from the Australian Labor Government’s ‘Clean Technology Food and Foundries Investment Program’.
The money will go towards technologies that will help the Company’s sites at Wagga Wagga in New South Wales and at Beenleigh in Queensland become more energy efficient and sustainable.
The Wagga Wagga site will receive $227,000 through the program, and the Beenleigh site will receive $2.82 million.
The Federal Minister for Industry and Innovation, Greg Combet, said the project being undertaken by the abattoir Teys Australia Southern could cut energy costs at the Wagga Wagga site by $365,000 a year and reduce the facility’s carbon emissions intensity by 9 per cent.
“Using revenue from the carbon price, the Gillard Government is investing in renewable and clean energy projects around Australia as intended,” Combet said.
“This grant will help Teys Australian Southern improve the energy efficiency and performance of its refrigeration plant at the abattoir,” he said.
The $681,837 total project will include installation of variable head pressure and condenser fan speed controls, compressor staging and capacity control, motor replacement and evaporator fan speed control.
In Queensland, Teys Australia will install a 34 mega litre covered anaerobic lagoon and a basin to capture biogas which will be used for on-site combustion. The Company hopes to save up to $1.3 million in their power bills per year and reduce their carbon price liability by as much as $380,000 a year.
“This project is one of many being carried out across the food processing and manufacturing sectors, to reduce costs and improve environmental outcomes,” said Combet.
“Food processers and manufacturers, in partnership with the Gillard Government are transforming their operations and becoming more efficient, more competitive and more sustainable. The price on carbon is driving this change, providing a win for the economy and a win for the environment,” he added.
Funded by revenue from the carbon price, the Australian Government’s $200 million Clean Technology Food and Foundries Investment Program and $800 million Clean Technology Investment Program aims to support local manufacturers to improve their operations and competitiveness.
The $200 million Clean Technology Innovation Program, which launched in 2012, is also funding Australian businesses to develop new, clean technology. Australian Food News reported in June 2012 that other major food companies such as Bega Cheese and Fonterra had also received some government grants through the program.
