The Recycling and Clean Energy Commercialisation Hub (REACH) at Deakin University has partnered up with Clean Energy Resources (CER) on a new project that aims to convert used tyres into electricity, hydrogen and other critical resources.
Some 48 million tyres contribute to Australia’s waste each year, with only a small percentage recycled onshore.
Approximately two thirds of the tyres that end up in landfill are stockpiled or have been illegally dumped.
The majority — approximately two-thirds — of tyres that end up in landfills have either been stockpiled or illegally disposed.
The collaboration between Deakin University and Geelong-based business CER will develop a technology that will provide a new way to generate electricity from old tyres without damaging the environment.
Deakin scientist Professor Abbas Kouzani and his multidisciplinary team will work with CER on this project, building on the team’s success in creating a solar panel recycling plant — utilising the university’s unique research facilities and proven ability to apply research ideas to real-world solutions.
Professor Kouzani stated that innovations in this space have the potential for immediate global impact and can assist in solving a pressing environmental pollution problem.
“The development of novel scalable technologies that can address real-world problems is a significant challenge for the Australian recycling industry and one that my team is very enthusiastic about working on,” said Kouzani.
This project differentiates itself to the other tyre recycling projects taking place around the world — including the United States, China, India and Turkey — as it focuses on developing a process that produces zero carbon emissions.
CER Director Tony Carr stated that the end-of-life tyres pilot plant would be the first stage in CER’s circular economy vision to tackle the global challenges of clean electricity production, waste management and recycling.
“This project is the culmination of 30 years of work by members of the CER team and research across the world in recycling, which in the past 10 years has focused on zero emissions solutions for the problems the world faces with all forms of waste,” Mr Carr said.
Backed by a $50 million grant from the Australian Government’s inaugural Trailblazer Universities Program, with industry and university support taking the total project value to $380 million, REACH is facilitating the development of greener supply chains and accelerating business success as markets move from a throughput economy to a circular economy.
