Yarra Valley Water’s food waste to energy facility has processed over 175,000 tonnes of commercial waste otherwise destined for landfill.
This milestone for the Wollert facility, Victoria’s first food waste-to-energy plant, comes as Yarra Valley Water has started construction on its second, larger facility in Lilydale.
Commercial food waste producers, such as markets or food manufacturers, deliver 33,000 tonnes of waste to the Wollert facility each year.
Yarra Valley Water’s Managing Director, Pat McCafferty, said innovative waste-to-energy facilities divert waste from landfills to create clean, green electricity.
“Food waste to energy facilities not only offer a commercially viable alternative for commercial companies to dispose of organic waste, but they also produce renewable energy.
“Our ReWaste facility can generate around 22,000 kilowatt hours of green electricity a day, enough to power itself, our neighbouring sewage treatment plant and provide excess energy to the grid,” said McCafferty.
Yarra Valley Water’s investment in waste-to-energy facilities will help it reach its emissions reduction target a decade early, becoming net zero and using 100% renewable electricity by mid-2025.
“By generating our own renewable energy, we can meet our emissions targets and keep pressure off customer bills,” McCafferty said.
ReWaste manages the waste supply to the Wollert facility. Waste deliveries from approved suppliers are accepted Monday through Friday.
Businesses can learn more about becoming a business partner and supplying waste to ReWaste at www.rewaste.com.au or contact enquiries@rewaste.com.au to discuss the new Lilydale food waste-to-energy facility.
Yarra Valley Water is one of Australia’s largest water utilities, with a service area covering 4,000 square kilometres. More than 2 million people and over 61,000 businesses daily rely on its water and sewerage services.
The corporation manages $6 billion worth of infrastructure, including a network of over 21,500 kilometres of water, recycled water and sewer mains. Yarra Valley Water’s purpose is to support the health and well-being of its customers and create a brighter future for communities and the natural environment.
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