Coliban Water has completed a new 302kW solar array at its Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant, marking another step towards its transition to renewable energy by mid-2025.
Coliban Water General Manager Water and Climate Strategy, Adam Crameri, said the achievement was significant as the organisation strives to implement more sustainable and efficient operating practices.
“Sewage treatment is a big energy user, so we have focused for some time on the steps we can take to reduce our reliance on energy from the grid, including solar installation,” he said.
“Coupled with other investments in plant and equipment upgrades across our region, our investment in solar is paying dividends for customers by helping us manage energy costs and deliver greater energy security. It is also a key part of our contribution toward industry-wide net zero carbon emission targets.”
Mr Crameri said there are now 760 ground-mounted solar panels operating in Kyneton, reducing carbon emissions by enough to remove 125 cars permanently from the roads every year.
“On-site solar capacity is now 400kW, after a 100kW system was completed in early 2024.
“We also operate solar panels at sites in Bendigo, Bridgewater, Leitchville, Pyramid Hill and Wedderburn, and are investigating locations for further solar arrays expected to generate an additional 2.5MW of renewable energy.”
Mr Crameri said that the utility’s Climate Change Strategy sets out a range of targets and measures.
“With the installation of our latest solar array in Kyneton, we are on-track to transition to 100 per cent renewable energy by mid-2025.
“Together with Victoria’s 11 other water corporations, we’ve also committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. This is a critical target in a region experiencing an overall drying trend and more extreme weather events, and we have a range of projects and initiatives underway to help us achieve it.”
Mr Crameri said the positive impact will be significant once this has been achieved.
“Coliban Water alone will have reduced its annual carbon emissions by 33,604t – or removed the equivalent of 12,000 cars from our roads every year.
“We’re investing in tree plantations, transitioning our fleet of staff vehicles to electric vehicles and considering opportunities to produce hydroelectricity at Lake Eppalock.
“Our membership of the Zero Emissions Water partnership, the state’s largest solar farm at Kiamal and a collaboration between all 12 Victorian water corporations, is also a major part of Coliban Water’s transition to 100 per cent renewable energy, having accounted for an equivalent of 4400t of carbon emission reductions in 2024.”
