Milestone for VIC waste-to-energy facility

Yarra Valley Water’s food waste to energy facility has reached a major milestone, having processed over 175,000t of food waste that would have ended up in landfill. 

This milestone for the Wollert facility, which was 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 33,000t of food waste to the Wollert facility each year.

Yarra Valley Water’s Managing Director, Pat McCafferty, said that innovative food waste to energy facilities divert waste from landfill 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 22,000kWh of green electricity a day, enough to power itself, our neighbouring sewage treatment plant and provide excess energy to the grid,” Mr McCafferty said.

Yarra Valley Water’s investment in food waste to energy facilities is expected to help it reach its emissions reduction target a decade early, becoming net zero and using 100 per cent renewable electricity by mid-2025.

“By generating our own renewable energy, we can meet our emissions targets and keep pressure off customer bills.” 

ReWaste manages waste supply to the Wollert facility, with waste deliveries accepted from approved suppliers from Monday to Friday.