Klean completes tire-based fuel production trial at Viva refinery in Australia

Melbourne, Australia – Waste tire pyrolysis technology supplier Klean has completed a trial production of sustainable fuel from end-of-life tires (ELTs) at Viva Energy’s oil refinery in Geelong, Australia.

In a 17 July statement, the company said the two companies “co-processed” 10 tonnes of tire pyrolysis oil (TPO) alongside crude oil, enabling the Geelong refinery to produce “a full range of fuels and products.”

In May, the refinery processed a similar quantity of pyrolysis oil derived from waste plastic, as it works to scale capacity for waste?based oil production.

“This trial marks a significant advancement in Australia’s circular economy and cements Klean’s leadership in coordinating refinery-ready, low-carbon feedstocks,” said Klean in its statement.

For the demonstration, Klean said it imported the TPO from Poland with appropriate approvals from the Australian government.

The ‘breakthrough’ is part of an earlier agreement between the two partners which aims to build a tire recycling facility in Melbourne with a capacity to process 80 kilotonnes per annum of ELTs. (ERJ report)

Under the agreement, Viva Energy would take the TPO from the plant for processing at the Geelong refinery, allowing it to create lower-carbon intensity fuels.

While TPO is recognised in the EU as a low-carbon alternative to traditional fuels and feedstocks, Australia currently does not recognise lower-carbon fuels made via co-processing.

This means the associated carbon reduction benefits from the process cannot be claimed by Viva Energy’s customers.

However, that is something that could change with the right policy settings, according to Viva Energy chief strategy officer Lachlan Pfeiffer.

“The refinery’s ability to process pyrolysis oil from both tires and waste plastic demonstrates the versatility of our facility and our commitment to supporting a lower-carbon future,” Pfeiffer said.

The project, according to Pfeiffer, can only proceed if the regulatory landscape encourages businesses to progress these initiatives.

Commenting on the achievement, Lina Goodman, CEO of Tyre Stewardship Australia, said the processing of TPO at the Geelong refinery was “a significant step forward in demonstrating the potential of ELTs as a valuable resource.”

“TPO is increasingly recognised internationally, particularly in the EU, as a low-carbon alternative,” she said.

“We welcome initiatives that showcase the viability of these solutions at scale...and support the transition to a more sustainable, low-emissions future for Australia,” she added.