Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio has officially launched Western Water’s new recycling facility in Melton which will treat liquid food waste from local businesses and convert it into biogas.
Supported by an $800,000 grant from the Victorian Government, the $3.3 million Melton Waste to Energy Facility will treat up to 5,000 kilolitres of liquid food waste each year – including leftover cooked meals, food scraps, fats, oils, old drinks and greases – to generate up to 1,000 megawatt hours of renewable electricity.
The biogas produced at the facility will be used to power the Melton Recycled Water Plant on site, cutting Western Water’s energy costs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 900 tonnes annually.
Minister D’Ambrosio said the cutting-edge facility will contribute to the state Government’s goal of halving the amount of organic material going to landfills by 2030 and assist Victoria in meeting its zero net carbon target by 2050.
“This facility will turn food scraps, oil and grease from local businesses into clean power – reducing the plant’s greenhouse gas emissions by 900 tonnes a year – that’s the equivalent of 300 cars off the road each year,” the Minister continued.
“Food scraps and organic waste make up almost a third of all the waste sent to landfill. This new facility makes use of that material and creates enough energy to power this recycled water plant.”
