The State Government has announced that all 18 of Victoria’s water corporations are on track to be powered with 100 per cent renewable electricity by the end of 2025.
All the state’s water corporations have also set a target to reduce their emissions to net zero by 2035 – and more than half of them have brought that target forward, aiming reach net zero by 2030.
To date, this shift to powering operations with renewable electricity has seen the utilities reduce their emissions by 42 per cent, the equivalent to removing around 136,000 cars off Victoria’s roads.
Investments in renewable energy will also help lower power bills for water corporations, which means they can continue to deliver affordable water and sewer services to the community.
To help meet these targets, the utilities have invested in significant renewable energy projects within the water sector, including the Nhill renewable energy facility, which produces enough electricity to cover 70 per cent of the total electricity used at all of GWM Water’s 330 sites.
Some water authorities, such as Barwon Water, have already hit the 100 per cent renewable milestone, and are working together with other utilities to help the entire sector reach this goal.
By collaborating with each other, the state’s water corporations are able to purchase renewable electricity at a cheaper cost. Zero Emissions Water, a collective of 12 water corporations, purchases up to 7000MWh of renewable electricity from the Kiamal Solar Farm at a cheaper rate than would be available independently.
The changes are being delivered alongside the recent announcement that the State Electricity Commission (SEC) signed retail contracts to supply all Victorian Government operations with cheap, renewable electricity.
Victorian Minister for Water, Gayle Tierney, said the Victorian water sector is leading the way towards a cleaner future, showing consumers and industry that they can tackle climate change and boost renewable energy use as the state’s population grows.
“It is pleasing to see all our water corporations are on track to power all of their operations with renewable electricity this year – a major step towards achieving net zero by 2035,” Ms Tierney said.
Victorian Minister for Climate Action, Lily D’Ambrosio, said, “Thanks to our investment in renewable energy, Victoria has the lowest energy prices in the market, supporting government agencies, local businesses and families cut their energy bills.”
