City of Gold Coast Council says a “who’s who” of local and international residual waste-to-energy proponents have flagged their preliminary interest in working with the Council’s Advanced Resource Recovery Centre (ARRC) to deliver a residual waste-to-energy facility at Stapylton.
In February, the Council launched an international Open Expression of Interest (EOI) to identify partners to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the new facility. The process concluded on 30 March.
The proposed $1.3 billion facility is expected to recover energy from residual waste, with output anticipated to be sufficient to power up to 80,000 homes, depending on the final technology solution and approvals.
Mayor and ARRC Chair, Tom Tate (pictured) said the strong level of interest received via the EOI process was testament to both the calibre and scale of ARRC’s planned residual waste-to-energy facility.
“Once completed, ARRC’s residual waste-to-energy facility at Stapylton will form the centrepiece of one of the most advanced resource recovery precincts anywhere in the world,” Mayor Tate said.
“It’s particularly heartening then to receive such a strong level of interest, from both local and international companies, in partnering with ARRC on the delivery of this game-changing facility.”
With operations planned to commence in 2032, ARRC’s residual waste-to-energy facility will play a key role in the City’s long-term plan to divert up to 97% of the region’s residual waste from landfill.
While its core role will be to process the Gold Coast’s residual waste, the facility has been planned to support broader SEQ region waste management needs and align with the Queensland Government’s draft new Queensland Waste Strategy.
“Given Gold Coast landfills will run out of capacity over the next decade, doing nothing was never an option,” Mayor Tate said.
“Today, planning for this world-class integrated recycling and energy precinct, for both the Gold Coast and further afield, remains firmly on track.”
Next steps in the facility’s multi-phase transaction process are:
- Phase 2: Closed Expression of Interest (July 2026 – Nov 2026)
- Phase 3: Closed Early Contractor Involvement (Dec 2026 – Dec 2027)
- Phase 4: Negotiations and Contract Award (early 2028).
To read more, visit arrcgoldcoast.com.
