Hybrid crematorium takes Geelong cemeteries close to net zero

GEELONG will become the first place in Australia to operate a hybrid electric cremator.

Imported from Europe, the new unit is expected to arrive within weeks and will give Geelong Cemeteries Trust a third cremator as demand for cremation services continues to grow.

The cremator forms part of the trust’s push towards net zero emissions by 2030.

Chief executive Dean Matthews said the organisation had been looking for ways to expand capacity while reducing its environmental footprint.

At the same time, he said families were increasingly asking about environmentally conscious alternatives and sustainable death rituals.

Matthews said the move to a hybrid electric cremator, combined with solar-generated power, would almost eliminate the carbon emissions associated with the cremation process.

“We had to get more capacity into our crematoria and we wanted to look at ways to reduce our foot print,” he said.

 

“We buy green power anyway, but if we put a small solar field in we can run the majority of the energy required for [the electric cremator] through the solar field.”

With only two hybrid electric cremators operating in Europe, Matthews said the organisation recognised it was taking a bold step by ordering the technology.

But after reviewing the performance of the European units, the board was confident it could deliver both the additional capacity and environmental benefits the organisation was seeking.

Supporting the trust’s net zero ambitions is a new agreement with Origin Energy to use biofuel in its two existing cremators.

Produced from used cooking oil, the biofuel was previously refined in Singapore, but a new arrangement between Origin and Geelong’s Viva Energy refinery will allow it to be processed locally.

“The beauty is that it is using carbon that is already in the atmosphere,” Matthews said.

“What we’re doing is just cycling, we’re not creating new carbon into the environment.”

 

The hybrid electric cremator will initially be installed at a temporary location before works are undertaken to consolidate all three cremators into a single facility.

The project will also include advanced flue gas treatment technology designed to further reduce emissions, with the upgraded facility expected to be among the first in Australia to adopt systems aligned with European standards, which Matthews said are some of the best in the world.

The solar farm, meanwhile, is expected to generate a significant proportion of the energy required for cremation operations.

The new facilities will include a private viewing room, allowing families who wish to be more involved in the cremation process to do so in a dedicated space.

Matthews said the investment would ensure Geelong Cemeteries Trust could meet growing community demand while providing facilities designed for the future.

“Every decision has been made with families in mind, from the environmental benefits of the hybrid cremator to their experience with Geelong Cemeteries Trust,” Matthews said.

“Throughout construction, our commitment to compassionate, uninterrupted service remains unchanged.”