The Victorian Government is helping to drive down emissions and keep water bills low for Yarra Valley Water customers by building a second waste-to-energy facility to power their operations.
Minister for Water Harriet Shing announced that works have begun on the $48 million Lilydale Food Waste to Energy project, which is expected to become fully operational as early as 2025.
The new facility will generate 39,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per day. This represents around 35 per cent of Yarra Valley Water’s energy needs or enough to power the equivalent of more than 2,200 Victorian households.
The renewable electricity generated will power both the facility and the Lilydale Sewage Treatment Plant, with excess energy exported to the electricity grid.
This new facility follows the success of Yarra Valley Water’s first organic waste-to-energy facility in Wollert. Since it was commissioned in 2017, that facility has processed over 175,000 tonnes of food waste.
The facility will use a natural process known as anaerobic digestion. It converts organic waste into energy rather than using a gasifier or incinerator to burn waste.
The Victorian water sector has set world-leading targets to cut emissions to net zero by 2035. With the addition of the Lilydale facility, Yarra Valley Water is on track to reach this target a decade earlier.
The new facility has the potential to reduce emissions by 24,700 tonnes every year – that is the equivalent of taking 23,000 cars off the road.
It will also support Victoria’s transition to a circular economy, diverting around 55,000 tonnes of food waste from landfills while providing a more efficient waste solution for commercial operators.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Water Harriet Shing
“Food waste to energy is just one of the ways the water sector is helping to drive innovation in the circular economy, reduce costs and emissions, and keep water bills low for Victorians.”
“By recovering organic waste, we also boost growth and investment in our economy, create more Victorian jobs and meet the needs of our growing population, now and in the future.”
Quote attributable to Managing Director Yarra Valley Water Pat McCafferty
“Melbourne is growing rapidly, and we see our facilities as part of a wider effort to combat the problem of food waste being sent to landfills and help Victoria transition to a circular economy.”
“Turning food waste into energy helps to cut greenhouse gas emissions, reduce landfill and energy costs, which helps to keep pressure off customer bills.”
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