Geelong installs Australia's first hybrid electric cremator as part of net-zero push by 2030

Geelong Cemeteries Trust is installing Australia's first hybrid electric cremator, imported from Europe, to cut emissions from cremation services. The unit will run mostly on solar power generated by a new on-site solar farm. The trust also signed a deal with Origin Energy to fuel its two existing cremators with biofuel made from used cooking oil, processed locally at Geelong's Viva Energy refinery. The hybrid cremator and biofuel switch are part of a broader plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2030. The facility will also include advanced flue gas treatment aligned with European standards. The trust says the move responds to growing community demand for more environmentally conscious end-of-life options while expanding cremation capacity.