In Australia, Yarra Valley Water Corporation (YVW), the largest of Melbourne’s three water corporations, has announced that it has been awarded AU$1 million in funding through the Victorian Government’s Waste to Energy – Bioenergy Fund. This will help fund a second generator at its food waste-to-energy facility in Lilydale.
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The Waste to Energy – Bioenergy Fund is providing AU$10 million in grants to support the development of innovative bioenergy projects and business models to enable the implementation of best-practice infrastructure that builds capability and capacity in Victoria’s bioenergy sector.
The Lilydale facility, which will deploy anaerobic digestion (AD) technology to process food waste, is expected to be operational in 2024/2025.
YVW Managing Director Pat McCafferty said that investing in technology is vital to help manage an increase in food waste in landfill as Melbourne’s population grows.
Investing in food waste to energy production is central to our commitment to support Victoria’s transition to a circular economy, reduce waste and minimize our carbon footprint, said Pat McCafferty.
Increase renewable energy output
The Fund is delivered by Sustainability Victoria under the Victorian Government’s circular economy policy, Recycling Victoria: a new economy.
The circular economy policy is part of the Victorian Government’s AU$515 million investment to deliver the biggest-ever transformation of Victoria’s waste and recycling industry.
Twenty-four projects have been funded under this program, with total funding awarded to date of up to AU$8 million.
Having a second generator will increase the power output of our Lilydale facility, nearly doubling our export to the grid. Another benefit is that we can continue to operate uninterrupted if one generator has any issues, Pat McCafferty said.
Toward 100 percent renewable self-sufficiency
The Lilydale facility will divert about 55 000 tonnes of commercial and industrial food waste from landfill every year. Once operational, the Lilydale will generate over 12.9 GWh of electricity annually which is around 35 percent of Yarra Valley Water’s energy needs.
In addition to the funding for the Lilydale facility, YVW has been granted an additional US$175 000 to enhance the electricity generation infrastructure at its bioenergy facility in Wollert, currently one of Australia’s largest Food Waste to Energy facilities.
The food waste-to-energy projects represent a cost-effective solution to achieving regulatory greenhouse gas reduction requirements set out by the Victorian Government in Yarra Valley Water’s Statement of Obligations (Emissions Reductions).
The funding for the Lilydale facility will help Yarra Valley Water achieve its target of generating 100 percent of its own energy needs through renewable energy in 2025.
This funding will play a vital role in expanding our capabilities, allowing us to divert even more food waste from landfill and generate clean energy to power homes and facilities. It’s a win-win solution that supports sustainable practices and helps us make a significant impact on waste reduction, Pat McCafferty said.
