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Methane from ‘organic material’ in wastewater to supply gas to 13,000 homes
The Sydney trial is expected to reduce 5,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually
Plan will power 6300 households by the end of 2022, with a capacity to double by 2030
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Sydney’s wastewater will be used to supply thousands of homes with renewable gas in a first Australian trial.
NSW Water Minister Kevin Anderson says that during the trial at Sydney Water’s Malabar wastewater recovery plant, renewable biomethane will supply reliable and cleaner gas to up to 13,000 homes.
Anderson says it is “an exciting and important milestone” that will help reduce household carbon footprints.
Sydney wastewater project to deliver cleaner gas to 13,000 homes by 2030
“The Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility will produce approximately 95,000 gigajoules of biomethane from organic matter in wastewater by the end of the year to supply approximately 6,300 households with gas, with the capacity to double production by 2030,” Anderson said on Tuesday.
“This five-year pilot will bring gas directly into the supply network and help industries across NSW meet their net-zero emissions targets, with the facility’s ability to convert waste material into a new clean energy source.”
Paul Plowman, Sydney Water’s General Manager Asset Lifecycle, says the biomethane project is expected to remove 5,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually – the equivalent of nearly 2,000 cars off the road.
“As Greater Sydney grows and volume increases through our network, innovation-based partnerships will be key to unlocking the potential of wastewater to power Greater Sydney,” he said.
The $16 million project is a joint partnership between the federal government’s Australian Renewable Energy Agency, the NSW government, Sydney Water and energy infrastructure company Yemena.
The pilot should be completed by the end of the year and the first renewable gas products will be delivered to the network shortly after.