Earthpower Technology -
food waste to energy

Veolia Environmental Services, in a joint venture with Transpacific Industries Group Ltd, recently purchased EarthPower, Australia’s first regional food waste-to-energy facility. Located at Camellia in Sydney’s west, EarthPower produces “green electricity” using source segregated food waste as a renewable energy source whilst simultaneously producing a nutrient rich fertilizer by-product.

At the heart of the EarthPower plant are two 5000m³ anaerobic digesters, where bacteria breaks down food materials to produce a methane rich gas stream. Similar to natural gas, the digester gas is then used to power generators sets to produce electricity. At capacity, the plant can produce enough electricity to power around 3,200 homes.

EarthPower can receive up to 80,000 tonnes per year of food waste. The main customers include large supermarket chains, food manufacturers, pet food manufacturers, commercial catering and hospitality, restaurants, and Councils who provide source-separated food waste collections to households.

 The plant’s operating principle supports abatement of green house gas emissions, through the beneficial use of food waste. Compared to landfills, the EarthPower process cogeneration of electricity from a renewable energy and sustainable development provides ideal anaerobic digestion conditions which maximises methane yield and enables 100% capture of digester gas.

The collection and combustion of biogas from the plant can save, at capacity, over 200 tonnes of greenhouse gas per day.

The major challenge for the business is sourcing sufficient volume of food waste to the specification required. It is important that the food waste is free of glass, metals and other materials that contribute to wear and damage to the plant. To do this it is necessary to promote source segregation of waste as is done for other recyclables such a glass, plastics, metals, paper and cardboard. This involves working closely with customers to develop and implement effective systems that enable recycling of all components of the waste stream.

 The addition of the EarthPower technologies to Veolia’s already vast array of waste management and resource recovery solutions secures greater opportunities for Veolia and further proves our position as an innovative and savvy environmental entity.