Shopping centre waste to power homes

Renewable energy using bioreactor technology

General waste from Sydney’s newest shopping centre, Top Ryde City, is scheduled to be recovered and re-used to create renewable electricity, thanks to a waste management process implemented by Veolia Environmental Services. It is looking to recover up to 60-65% of all general waste and recyclable materials, once the centre launches in November.

Peter Grima, Veolia Environmental Services Business Manager, says the company’s Woodlawn Eco-Precinct enables general waste to be recovered and re-used.

“General waste from the Ryde site will be transported to our Woodlawn Bioreactor, where the gas produced from the waste breaking down will be used to create renewable energy,” said Grima.

Top Ryde City’s management estimates that it will produce approximately 1440 tonnes of general waste a year. By using bioreactor technology, Veolia will be able to produce approximately 411,840 kWh of electricity per annum from this waste.

With households estimated at using approximately 8000 kWh of electricity per year, a year’s general waste from Top Ryde City is estimated to produce enough power for 50 households for a year.

Veolia estimates that 1440 tonnes of general waste produced at Top Ryde City a year will equate to a saving of 1728 tonnes of greenhouse gases (tCO2-e) per year.

Stage one of the centre launched in November and the completed centre is expected to be unveiled in mid-2010.