Australian recycler to test new energy technology

Warren, New South Wales — Tire recycler Green Distillation Technologies will conduct the first industrial trials on a new thermoelectric device from the US that converts heat to electric power, the company said in a release.

The devices, which fit around the exhaust flue, are somewhat similar to rooftop polyvoltaic panels used in solar energy generation, the tire recycler said.

This will constitute the first field trials of the devices anywhere in the world, it said.

Green Distillation hopes the devices will be a more reliable and cheaper power source for its tire processing facility in Warren than conventional sources, according to Trevor Bayley, the company's chief operating officer.

"Our power travels 500 kilometers from the Hunter Valley, and we can suffer a significant transmission loss, which means we are paying a premium for power that we don't get," Bayley said.

Solar energy panels were not an option for Green Distillation because it lacks the large flat roof surfaces for them, according to Bayley.

In addition, Green Distillation's recycling process is ideal for thermoelectric generation, he said.

Green Distillation's recycling process breaks end-of-life tires down to oil, carbon and steel, and the emissions are scrubbed to meet the guidelines of the New South Wales Environmental Protection Agency.

The company is in the process of raising capital for a second facility in Toowoomba, Queensland.