Researchers at RMIT University have developed a new technology that can potentially turn sewage waste into a substitute for fossil fuel.
Dubbed Pyroco, the method uses high heat in an oxygen-free environment to convert treated sewage (biosolids) into carbon-rich biochar.
This biochar can then be a catalyst to produce bio-oils, which could one day replace petroleum-based products in construction, electronics, and automotive manufacturing industries.
Professor Kalpit Shah, deputy director of research at RMIT, said the project aligns with the Global Waste Management Policy and Australia’s National Waste Policy Action Plan, advancing cleaner waste practices and a circular economy.
“Our goal is to prevent PFAS (cpolyfluoroalkyl substances) contaminated biosolids from being disposed of in landfills by converting them into PFAS-free biochar, which has diverse applications,” Shah said.
The research was carried out in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Petroleum. It showed that biochar from biosolids worked just as well, if not better, than more expensive materials typically used to extract oil from biomass like Willow Peppermint, an Australian native plant.
In testing, the team produced bio-oil with high levels of beneficial compounds like phenolics (69 per cent) and hydrocarbons (14 per cent).
These phenol-rich bio-oils make valuable products such as resins, lubricants, and industrial additives. Using biosolids as the starting material provides a use for sewage waste and helps reduce carbon emissions by replacing high-footprint fossil products.
The Pyroco technology has been developed over several years by RMIT in partnership with South East Water, Intelligent Water Networks, and other water authorities. It’s now moving closer to commercial use.
RMIT and its partners – including Aqua Metro, South East Water, and Iota, South East Water’s commercial arm – have secured AU$3 million in funding from the Australian Government to build a demonstration plant next year at a South East Water facility. South East Water also contributes an additional $3 million toward the $11 million project.
