Waste to Energy Infrastructure Fund launches in Victoria

The Victorian Government has launched the Waste to Energy Infrastructure Fund — a $2 million program to support the development of waste-to-energy technologies.

The fund seeks to boost sustainable energy production using organic and other materials, which will also serve to divert waste from landfill. Diverting commercial and industrial food waste from landfills means methane produced during decomposition is not released to the atmosphere, where it is a major greenhouse gas.

Sustainability Victoria Chief Executive Stan Krpan said as a major agricultural and food processing state, using waste materials to create energy has a role in Victoria’s renewable energy future.

“Just in Victoria in 2014–15, more than 300,000 tonnes of food waste came from food processing, manufacturing, hotels, restaurants and shopping centre food courts, yet only 22% was recycled — mostly by composting or using it as animal food,” he said.

“Energy from waste can help us meet renewable energy targets, provide baseload power and recover value from waste that would otherwise go to landfill and create greenhouse gases as it decomposes.”

A 2015 report from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation found that obtaining energy from bioenergy and other urban waste could generate 800 MW in Australia each year and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 9 million tonnes. Technologies that could be used to power generators include:

• anaerobic digestion plants using microorganisms to digest waste and create methane;
• pyrolysis, which uses extreme heat to turn tyres into oils and gases; and
• gasification, which turns organic or oil-based materials, like plastics, into a gas that can be used as fuel.

The fund is aimed at the waste management sector, councils, water authorities and businesses able to commission new or upgraded projects by 31 December 2019. Eligible project ideas will be subject to a full application and detailed business case assessment process.

For more information and to receive an application form, click here. Expressions of interest close on 3 April at 3 pm.