Councils sign waste supply agreements for Regional Renewable Organics Network
26 Aug 2022
Barwon Water and four local councils are joining forces to transform organic waste into high value products for agriculture and at the same time generate renewable energy in a big step forward for the circular economy in Victoria.
In a significant innovation in how the benefits of a circular economy can be realised, Barwon Water has signed waste supply agreements with the Borough of Queenscliffe, City of Greater Geelong, Golden Plains Shire, and Surf Coast Shire to take organic waste from kerbside collection and process it at the Regional Renewable Organics Network (RRON) when it is built at its Black Rock water reclamation plant in Connewarre.
The project has received support from the Victorian Government with funding for the business case and leverages Barwon Water’s expertise and infrastructure as a manager of organic waste from wastewater, including biosolids.
The project will create jobs and keep downward pressure on Barwon Water and the participating councils’ costs, saving money for customers and ratepayers in the region.
Barwon Water Chair Jo Plummer said the Regional RON would deliver significant environmental, economic and community benefits for the region.
“The Regional RON is a key part of our response to the challenges of climate change and population growth. It has been enabled by new technology and a commitment to playing a leading role in the circular economy,” she said.
“The project will convert 40,000 tonnes of organic waste each year into 8,000 tonnes of high-value soil enhancers, including biochar, to support local agriculture.
“Biochar has amazing properties that helps lock carbon into soils while helping them retain moisture, which will help make our regional farm soils more climate resilient.”
Ms Plummer said that as well as creating biochar, the processing of the waste would generate enough renewable electricity to power the equivalent of 500 homes and reduce the region’s greenhouse gas emissions by between 10,000 to 15,000 tonnes.
“It also provides a local, long-term waste solution for councils and their ratepayers with lower financial and environmental costs; and it reduces Barwon Water’s energy costs by helping to power the Black Rock water reclamation plant through the production of renewable energy, keeping our customer bills affordable.”
Ms Plummer said the Regional RON would boost the local economy by also creating 75 construction jobs and 36 ongoing jobs.
The project proposes the construction of a state-of-the-art and sustainable organics processing facility to be operational by mid-2025.
The Colac RON was created in partnership with Australian Lamb Company and Bulla Dairy Foods and converts organic trade waste from those companies into soil enhancers and renewable energy, which is taking the Colac plant off the grid, saving money and reducing carbon emissions.
Barwon Water, Colac Otway Shire and other Colac businesses are exploring opportunities for processing additional organic waste at the Colac RON, while Barwon Water and Wyndham City Council continue to explore partnership opportunities.
Minister for Water Harriet Shing said the Regional Renewable Organics Network would help the water sector lead the way in the circular economy and tackling climate change.
“Projects like this play an important role in Victoria’s circular economy aims and target of zero emissions, as well as lowering Barwon Water’s production costs, which will help keep water bills down for their customers.”
Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio said the project would help reduce waste to landfill while producing cleaner energy.
“This project will recycle 40,000 tonnes of waste and reduce emissions in the region by 10,000 to 15,000 tonnes, the equivalent of taking more than 4,000 cars off the road.”
Working with councils
Ms Plummer said Barwon Water was delighted to be collaborating with local governments on the unique and exciting project.
“The Regional RON will lead the way in our region’s transition to a circular economy, in which materials are continually reused and recycled to increase their lifespan, add value and reduce waste.
“Another great positive from the project is how it provides an innovative local solution for kerbside organics recycling, meaning it will be processed in our region rather than needing to be taken long distances for processing, saving carbon emissions and costs in transport.
“By working together we can reduce waste, reduce energy costs, create jobs and help our region prosper.”
City of Greater Geelong councillor Belinda Moloney, chair of the Circular Economy portfolio, said the sustainable organics processing facility would help the city meet its aim of rolling out a region-wide food waste collection service.
“At the moment there is no local facility capable of processing enough food waste for us to introduce this service across our entire community. This project will fill that gap, allowing us to remove and recycle around a third of waste from household red bins.”
Surf Coast Shire Mayor Libby Stapleton said the shire was excited to be part of the Regional RON.
“The Regional RON project is one of a number of ways we are looking to reduce our carbon footprint, and comes after a recent achievement of being carbon neutral-certified for our corporate operations. We hope our leadership in this area inspires organisations and individuals across the shire and the region to switch to renewables and seek sustainable alternatives.”
Golden Plains Shire Mayor Gavin Gamble the project was a great initiative for long-term solutions for waste management and Golden Plains Shire Council was pleased to partner with the other councils and Barwon Water to develop the innovative project.
“For growing councils like Golden Plains Shire, waste management is an expensive and challenging issue. This is a great example of a regional solution for innovative and sustainable waste management, allowing our Council to introduce an organic waste service.”
Queenscliffe Mayor Ross Ebbels said the project’s environmental benefits were important to the Council, which is rolling out its climate emergency response plan in a bid to make the community carbon-neutral by 2031.
“Processing our organic waste locally to create high-value products for agriculture and renewable energy is exactly the kind of innovative thinking we need in the fight against climate change.”
Background
The Regional RON involves exploring opportunities to take local commercial, industrial and household organic waste and convert it safely into nutrient-rich products that improve soil for agricultural uses and capture carbon in the ground, as well as generating clean, green energy.
Barwon Water has engaged GHD, a highly experienced international engineering firm founded in Australia, to undertake a detailed options assessment and initial design works to meet the needs of the Regional RON facility.
The Regional RON will continue the evolution of the Black Rock site as a world-class facility for clean, safe resource generation, sustainable infrastructure and water security, taking it from a sewerage treatment plant to a resource generation centre
The facility will have a relatively small footprint once integrated into the Black Rock site.
The site is already home to a 3-megawatt solar farm that supplies up to 35% of the plant’s electricity use (the Regional RON will provide an additional 14%) and it also supplies recycled water to the region.
Barwon Water community engagement earlier this year found the project and its benefits were generally well supported.
Another round of community engagement is planned for later this year to share the outcomes of GHD’s assessments on operational aspects of the facility and to seek further community feedback.
The Regional RON facility should be operational by mid-2025 with construction starting in mid-2023.
The Regional RON facility will require a development licence from the Environment Protection Authority.