The proponent behind the push to turn the former Redbank Power Station into a biomass generator has hit back at greenhouse gas emission concerns, saying the development will be "near net-zero".
If approved, the Verdant Earth proposal - located west of Singleton - would burn 850,000 tonnes of waste wood to produce more than 150 megawatts of energy, or about one million megawatt hours per year.
The project is in the final stages of being assessed by the state government and attracted 420 submissions, with about 60 per cent objecting due to climate change and environmental concerns.
However, Verdant Earth pointed out the majority of objections were at least 100 kilometres away from the project, spread "along the eastern coast of NSW, up to the Queensland Border and around the Sydney area", while most submissions from the Hunter were in support.
In its response to the submissions, the company said those expressing concern over greenhouse gas emissions from biomass overlook the fundamental difference between energy supply from fossil fuels and from biomass.
"Burning fossil fuels releases carbon that has been locked up in the ground for millions of years, while biogenic carbon is absorbed and emitted closer to one to 100 years," planning documents state.
"The key consideration is the length of the cycle. Using biomass as a fuel emits carbon that is part of the biogenic carbon cycle."
The biomass generator would contribute less than 0.1 per cent of the state's annual emissions.
"The proposal is not net-zero... however, the proposal is a near net zero CO2 project," the documents state.
"Under a 'current policy' scenario for NSW, the proposal represents 0.03 per cent of state-wide emissions in 2030, and 0.08 per cent in 2050."
Promise to avoid native forest logging
Verdant Earth also addressed concerns about the potential environmental and biodiversity impacts by noting native forest logging was a contentious issue in Australia and promising to steer clear of the industry.
"As a result, the biomass used to create power at Redbank explicitly excludes all waste from native forestry logging and sawmilling operations," planning documents stated.
"Verdant will not and has not requested government approval to use these residues for power generation at Redbank."
In its planning proposal, Verdant said it would worked with landowners who have properties containing noxious weeds that need to be cleared for agricultural uses, including native scrub vegetation that has reached unnatural densities.
"Current practice for weed control is the removal of trees, which are then left to dry for a few weeks before being pushed into a pile and burnt in situ," the document says.
"For the proposal, they would be harvested in accordance with land management codes, then chipped on site and transported to the facility."
The top two key issues in supporting submissions were benefits to grid stability and security, along with the economic and social benefits to the community.
The proposal is predicted to generate more than 1000 direct and indirect jobs and $900 million in value over 25 years.
"The majority of economic activity would occur in the Hunter Region, with an estimated annual value add during operation of $34.41 million, and in the Singleton LGA alone of $20.64 million," planning documents state.
Verdant Earth chief executive Richard Poole previously told the Newcastle Herald that several "high net worth Australian families" had recently invested $80million in the company's biomass strategy.
The state government will now finalise its assessment of the proposal before deciding whether to approve or reject it.
