Victoria’s Barwon Water has transitioned all its operations to net-zero emissions electricity. 

The achievement comes a year ahead of the Victorian water sector’s target of sourcing all electricity from renewable sources by 2025.

The milestone was marked at an event held at Barwon Water’s Torquay Tank, which boasts a 240-kilowatt solar array. 

Since setting its 100 per cent renewables target in 2016, Barwon Water has implemented a range of projects, culminating in over 30 gigawatt hours of electricity being sourced from renewable energy each year, equivalent to the consumption of about 6,000 homes.

Barwon Water Managing Director Shaun Cumming said the transition not only reduces carbon emissions but also lowers energy costs, contributing to reduced customer bills and generating revenue from surplus electricity.

Barwon Water has invested in approximately 25 megawatts of renewable electricity capacity, which produces around 65 gigawatt-hours of electricity each year. 

Among the notable projects is the 3-megawatt Black Rock solar farm, the first megawatt-scale solar installation in Australia’s water industry. Another initiative is the Colac Renewable Organics Network, which converts organic waste from local businesses into renewable electricity and hot water, powering the Colac water reclamation plant.

A collaboration with Barwon Health and GeelongPort delivers 17 megawatts of power from the Mt Gellibrand Wind Farm, while Barwon Water has also joined forces with 11 other water corporations to secure electricity from Victoria’s Kiamal Solar Farm.

With these initiatives, Barwon Water says it now generates more electricity than it consumes, allowing it to export the excess to the grid.

Mr Cumming said Barwon Water has even bigger goals.

“We are strongly focused on our 2030 target of achieving net-zero emissions across our operations and doing it in a way that reduces energy costs,” he said.

“This includes tackling direct emissions from wastewater treatment processes and transitioning to a zero-emissions vehicle fleet.”

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