Viva Energy has achieved another milestone in demonstrating the critical role it could play in Australia’s circular economy and low-carbon fuel production.
This week, Geelong Refinery successfully processed 10 tonnes of tyre pyrolysis oil alongside crude oil toproduce a full range of fuels and products. This follows the refinery processing a similar quantity of pyrolysis oil derived from waste plastic in May, demonstrating its capability to process at scale oils made from waste and the critical role the facility will play in Australia’s sustainable future.
The development is a significant step in plans to establish tyre-recycling in Melbourne. For this demonstration, the tyre pyrolysis oil was imported from Poland with appropriate approvals from the
Australian Government – it is currently not available domestically.
Earlier this year, Viva Energy signed a memorandum of understanding with Klean Industries, a Canadian
resource recovery and advanced recycling provider, to study the potential to create a tyre-recycling
facility in Melbourne capable of processing up to 80,000 tonnes of used tyres per year.
The recycling facility proposed by Klean would extract three products from tyres: recovered carbon black
(rCB), steel, and biogenic pyrolysis oil. Under the agreement, Viva Energy would take the biogenic
pyrolysis oil for processing at Geelong Refinery, allowing it to create lower-carbon intensity fuels.
Viva Energy’s successful processing of tyre pyrolysis oil not only signals progress for Australia’s own
sustainable fuel industry, but also brings the country in line with global efforts to advance circular
economies.
Tyre pyrolysis oil is already 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, meaning
the associated carbon reduction benefits cannot be claimed by Viva Energy’s customers.
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 tyres and waste plastic demonstrates the
versatility of our facility and our commitment to supporting a lower-carbon future,” Mr Pfeiffer said. “Viva
Energy is proud to play a role in the production of lower-carbon fuels and products and reduce the
number of tyres that go into landfill. The project can only proceed if the regulatory landscape encourages
businesses to progress these important initiatives.”
It is a sentiment supported by Lina Goodman, CEO of Tyre Stewardship Australia, who said the
processing of tyre pyrolysis oil at Geelong Refinery is a significant step forward in demonstrating the
potential of end-of-life tyres as a valuable resource.
“Tyre pyrolysis oil 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 that
extract value from end-of-life tyres and support the transition to a more sustainable, low-emissions future
for Australia.”
Viva Energy’s successful refinement of tyre pyrolysis oil, produced using Klean Industries’ advanced
thermal conversion technology, marks a significant milestone for the circular economy in Australia,
according to Jesse Klinkhamer, Klean Industries Inc.
“This achievement not only confirms the quality and compatibility of our recovered oils with existing
refining infrastructure but also demonstrates the commercial viability of converting end-of-life tyres into
high-value, low-carbon fuels and chemicals. It's a crucial step forward in fulfilling Klean Industries’ vision
of establishing a fully integrated resource recovery and low-carbon fuel production facility in Melbourne,
Australia,” he said.
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About Viva Energy
Viva Energy (ASX: VEA) is a leading convenience retailer, commercial services and energy infrastructure business, with a history spanning more than 120 years in Australia. The Group operates a convenience and fuel network of almost 900 stores across Australia and supplies fuels and lubricants to a total network of nearly 1,500 service stations.
Viva Energy owns and operates the strategically located Geelong Refinery in Victoria, and operates bulk fuels, aviation, bitumen, marine, chemicals, polymers and lubricants businesses supported by more than 20 terminals and about 80 airports and airfields across the country. www.vivaenergy.com.au
About Klean Industries
Klean Industries (“Klean”) provides best-in-class technologies and solutions in the waste-to-value industry, using proprietary technologies to rapidly develop projects that produce premium fuels, recovered carbon, and green hydrogen from various feedstocks. Our know-how and technical skills provide specialization in building projects using advanced thermal conversion technologies such as pyrolysis, gasification, and carbonization that transform end-of-life tyres, non-recycled plastics, and municipal solid waste into domestic energy, sustainable commodities, and new clean-tech jobs. We create a symbiosis between waste, resources, and energy. Klean Industries is the link between a low-carbon, closed-loop economy and the goal of zero waste being sent to landfills. www.kleanindustries.com
About Tyre Stewardship Australia
Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) is Australia’s tyre product steward established in 2014 to implement the national Tyre Product Stewardship Scheme (TPSS) – an ACCC-authorised industry framework to reduce the environmental,
health and safety impacts of the 67 million Equivalent Passenger Units (EPUs) which reach their end of life in Australia each year.
TSA’s vision is of a circular economy for end-of-life (EOL) tyres that contribute to a sustainable society. It works all along the tyre supply chain to minimise waste and increase value for government, industry, businesses, and consumers by maximising the circular value of the resources in used tyres. www.tyrestewardship.org.au