It might seem inscrutable to outsiders, but the fifth Waste to Energy Forum was humming on day one.
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As well as delegates from businesses across Australia and around the world, and local governments interested in what happens next in the fast-developing industry, several exhibitors had their technologies on show.
It’s part of what conference chairman Barry Sullivan said is the essential mission of the two and a half day forum - ensuring people know what they talk about when they discuss waste to energy.
READ MORE: Ballarat to host waste to energy forum
The industry is not just about incinerating municipal waste - new technologies can produce much more than electricity, and with less emissions, helping to keep waste out of landfill.
There’s machines that automatically sort out valuable recyclables, bale and shred paper, cardboard, and more, and ensure feedstock - the waste that goes into the plants - is as pure and efficient as it can be, and excited sales representatives were happy to explain how they all fit into the process.
The first day of the conference focused on how to plan for a waste to energy facility, from environmental approvals to financing.
Speakers included EPA Victoria chairman Cheryl Bagatol, as well as Sustainability Victoria and companies from as far away as Finland.
Mr Sullivan said he was encouraged by the interest, and the fact that Australian projects were getting off the ground.
“We have Australian Paper here who are going down the path of getting their facility going, they have to secure the waste as their next step, they’ve already gone through the EPA approvals,” he said.
“Last year, you could feel it in the conference because we knew projects were on their way, now the projects are happening, next year it’ll be interesting because the ground will be broken.”
The City of Ballarat will discuss its own waste to energy proposal at its Wednesday night council meeting - representatives were on the conference floor on Tuesday, and mayor Samantha McIntosh opened the forum.
“It’s an educational process, and I hope something like the City of Ballarat looks at the conference and says, we need to consider size, feed stock, and growth area (of a project), as opposed to looking at the next shiny item," Mr Sullivan said.
The conference continues until Thursday.
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