Australia: Cement Australia has temporarily shut operations at its Railton plant as it upgrades its coal-fired kiln to accept alternative fuel sources such as used tyres and ‘sustainable’ wood waste, according to ABC News. The plant, located in north-west Tasmania, will stop production for an estimated 45 days to allow for the US$77.5m works, as the company moves to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. However, conservationists are reportedly concerned over the source of the proposed wood waste, which would be either from plantation timber or native logging, and opponents have said that the move to wood chips as fuel could increase emissions.
In 2024, Cement Australia's CEO Rob Davies said that alternative fuels would make up 35% of the Railton plant's fuel use, with wood chips making up 30% and used tyres 5%. The company started using alternative fuels in 2008, and they now account for 15% of its fuel use. In 2024, the government announced US$38m in funding for the kiln's ‘Alternate Fuels Project,’ as part of the US$237m ‘Powering the Regions’ Fund, which is intended to help nine heavy industrial manufacturers to decarbonise. By switching to alternative fuels, Cement Australia expects to reduce coal use by 111,000t/yr, and reduce its CO₂ emissions by 105,000t/yr. In April 2026, Tasmania's Environment Protection Authority (EPA) gave the project the green light, but with strict conditions.
"The board determined that while the proposal would deliver an overall reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and dust generated at the site, further action is required in relation to existing nitrogen dioxide emissions," the EPA said in a statement. Conditions imposed relate to air pollutant emissions, noise from site operations and vehicle movements.
It is expected that after the shutdown from May-July 2026, Cement Australia will start operating with the new fuels.
