Wynyard, Tasmania
Dairy company Fonterra Australia Pty Ltd will improve its business competitiveness and boost export opportunity with a $659,100 grant provided through the Australian Government's Clean Technology Food and Foundries Investment Program.
The grant is part of a $6 million investment and will assist the company to modernise its operations at Wynyard in Tasmania by installing eight new cheese vats. The new vats use excess heat from elsewhere in the plant that makes them more efficient, saving up to $141,100 in energy costs per year and cutting the carbon emissions intensity of this key step of its cheese making process by 90 per cent.
Dairy production is a key growth sector for North Western Tasmania and an important export opportunity in our region, as demand for high quality dairy products grows. The Gillard Government is supporting jobs and investment in the dairy sector's capacity to benefit from these opportunities.
The project will boost production capacity at the Wynyard facility and provides the potential for the company to increase output in the future. Fonterra Australia will invest $6 million in the project as part of the company's strategy to develop and grow its Tasmanian operations.
The $1 billion Clean Technology Investment Programs assist manufacturers reduce energy costs, cut emissions and improve their competitiveness.
Energy efficiency is a vital means of improving economic productivity. Manufacturers across Australia are working with the Government to improve their operations and prepare for a low carbon economy.
To date the Clean Technology Investment Programs have provided 221 grants totalling $120.4 million to projects across Australia and leveraging private sector investment for total investments of $331.2 million.
Fonterra Australia is also using carbon price revenue from the Carbon Farming Futures program to help dairy farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions and participate in the Carbon Farming Initiative - a potential source of additional revenue for farmers and land holders who reduce emissions on the land.
The recently-announced $434,000 grant will be used to boost whole farm productivity by providing information on how farmers can reduce nitrous oxide emissions, one of the major greenhouse gases that contributes to climate change.
The dairy sector in the north and north-west Tasmanian has already benefited from Australian Government investment including:
· $4.5million to Circular head Agricultural Trade College to support training and a growth dairy industry, and
· $1.5million to expand electricity infrastructure along the Harcus River Road at circular head to support the dairy industry.