Toowoomba company Pyrocal approved by council for new 12,000-tonne biochar facility at Wellcamp Business Park

A new $10m facility that can turn all manner of waste and refuse into products with a low-carbon footprint and uses in various industries has taken a big step forward.

A Toowoomba company pioneering technology that can turn biosolids and other waste into products for the agricultural, mining and construction sectors will start work this year on a $10m facility.

In a drastic expansion of its business, Pyrocal has been given the green light by the Toowoomba Regional Council to build a scaled-up demonstration facility at the Wellcamp Business Park.

The plant makes use of the company’s Australia-first continuous carbonisation technology (CCT) system that turns materials into a stable char that doesn’t emit greenhouse gases.

Pyrocal’s demonstration facility at Wellcamp Business Park.

Along with reducing the original product’s impact on the environment, the system can create a variety of products able to be sold to other industries.

The new facility will have six times the original model’s floor space and have the capacity to produce up to 12,000 tonnes of biochar every year, employing more than 30 people once operational.

Pyrocal CEO Barry Croker.

CEO Barry Croker, who was recently appointed to the role, said the approval from the council was a big step forward so Pyrocal could continue to court buyers from across the world.

“Now we have the DA, it allows us to scale up our operation, continue our research and development and demonstrate our technology to potential customers,” he said.

“It’ll service all different industries looking for gasification systems, whether it’s biosolids, forestry waste, municipal waste, so this will give us increased capacity to manufacture that.

Pyrocal demonstration site in Wellcamp. Picture: Nev Madsen

“We essentially work on market development for biochar, which is the output of the system. “Our products can be used a lot in animal feeds, land rehabilitation in mining, or in the nursery and landscaping industries, among others.”

Mr Croker said rather than aiming to be a manufacturing hub, Pyrocal would look to sell system solutions to buyers at their own sites — creating secondary income off the product and offsetting their carbon emissions.

“The system provides a platform for industry to offset their carbon from other aspects of the business,” he said.

Pyrocal material made from pecan nut shell waste residue that will be used as a soil conditioner as well as other agricultural industry applications, Wednesday, November 10, 2021. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“It’s a really unique business model that you can transform a waste product, add value to it and have a positive impact on the environment.

“It’s a significant investment for the community and shows the capability of regional Queensland and Toowoomba — we get inquiries from the US, Europe, Africa and New Zealand.”

Mr Croker said he hoped to have soil turning at the site before Christmas.