Built in 1888, the Racecourse sugar mill in Mackay Queensland is the oldest still in operation and one of the largest refiners in Australia.

In 2010, the refinery decided to replace an aging low efficiency bagasse/coal fired boiler with a high efficiency bagasse / coal fired 40 MW cogeneration steam / power plant. The project was predominantly process bagasse to supply “green’ power to the local grid.  If it were to ever run out of bagasse, provision was made for the boiler to run off coal, if ever required, to meet power purchase obligations.  A further advantage of the plant was it could support ethanol production at a future stage.

At the heart of the project was a grate fired boiler (150/125 tph, 525 deg C at 82 bar). Ancilliary plant included a wet scrubber, a steam turbine generator, a water cooled condenser, transformer and all EI&C’s.  Scope of work included all civils, plant erection, commissioning and testing