That’s why we’re committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2030.
Protecting the environment
We are bold in our work to care for and protect the environment. and we want to help address the global challenge of climate change and play our part to achieve a more sustainable future.
That’s why we’re committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2030.
Our initiatives
Our Roadmap to Net Zero outlines key initiatives to meet these targets which are set out in the State Government’s Water for Victoria plan.
Energy is a significant operational cost for our business so these initiatives will not only help the environment, but provide future savings for our customers.
Portland wind turbine
A major achievement in 2019 was the construction of an 800-kilowatt wind turbine at the Portland Sewage Treatment Plant. We were the first water corporation in Australia to own and operate a wind turbine of this scale. It is also the first wind turbine 100 per cent owned and operated by a Victorian Government entity in more than 30 years.
The turbine produces more than two gigawatt hours of renewable energy each year. This powers the city’s energy-intensive water and sewage treatment facilities. It also reduces our carbon emissions by an average of 2,500 tonnes a year.
The $4.2 million capital cost of the turbine will be paid back within 10 years through reduced energy bills.
Solar PV panels
Solar initiatives include the installation of a 250-kilowatt solar photovoltaic (PV) system at the Warrnambool Water Treatment Plant. We also have 100-kilowatt systems at the Hamilton Water Treatment Plant and our Gateway Road corporate office.
We also plan to install Australia’s largest floating solar PV system. The system will provide more than 500kW of power to our Brierly Basin pumping station in Warrnambool.
Carbon offsets
We also have a 50-year agreement with CO2 Australia. They manage a landmark carbon offset project which was the first of its kind in the Victorian water industry.
Blue Mallee plantations were planted across 360 hectares of land in 2009, sequestering an average of 2,500 tonnes of CO2 each year.
Zero Emissions Water
We’ve signed an energy partnership with 12 other Victorian water corporations for the Kiamal Solar Farm in north-west Victoria. Known as Zero Emissions Water (ZEW), it supports the generation of four gigawatt hours of electricity each year. This is equal to 20 per cent of our annual energy needs.
