Engineering graduate champions renewable gas
Max Bowron
Max Bowron joined the Bioenergy Australia and GasNZ Australian Renewable Gas Tour 2023, on a Kennedy Educational Scholarship Trust scholarship.
Graduating from Canterbury University this year, Max works as a Gas Network Performance Engineer at Future Sure partner, Powerco. In this story, Max shares his reflections on the tour and the future of gas.
I had little prior knowledge on biogas upon reading the application for the scholarship, however, the idea of producing renewable energy from our waste encouraged me to apply. The tour has both inspired me and led me to believe the gas industry still has a significant role to play in the sustainable transition to New Zealand’s future energy mix.
One of my biggest takeaways from the tour was how widely applicable renewable gas is and the potential for it to be used in New Zealand. The range of projects we visited, from biomethane and anaerobic digestion, to green hydrogen production and distribution, to gasification of biomass from sewage, demonstrated the potential of these technologies and how they could be implemented for both commercial and industry use.
Having worked one summer in a large-scale abattoir myself, I was stunned to view the Goulburn Bioenergy Project at Southern Meats in NSW. This project used the waste effluent from the processing of 4,500 sheep every day to generate roughly 70% of the plant’s daily energy needs with biomethane. This proved to me the incentive for private companies, who could save millions of dollars a year through green energy generation, reduce emissions, and improve their environmental reputation.
From listening in on conversations and contributing where I could, it appeared that the other tour delegates came to the same conclusion as me. The technology has been perfected in Europe over the last 20 years, which should make the introduction to New Zealand a low-risk process.
It was eye-opening to see the potential of renewable gas as a key building block in a circular economy, one where waste becomes a valuable resource that can be harnessed for energy production and one that will benefit Aotearoa as a whole.
During my time in Australia, I was struck by the passion and engineering/industry knowledge that was on display throughout the tour. As a relatively new member of the industry, it was inspiring to be surrounded by such a range of professionals who were all committed to the same goal.
In my opinion, the key to success lies in the economic and political backing and I believe that with the enthusiasm and expertise shown on the tour, there is a feasible pathway to renewable gas in New Zealand over the next 10 years. I am so excited to be part of an industry that is pushing the boundaries of innovation and creativity, and I look forward to contributing towards this effort in my role at Powerco.