Waste to Energy Micro Power Station Network
The CVGA received funding under the Collaborative Councils Sustainability Fund to analyse the business case for expanding the Hepburn Shire waste-to-energy system to all its neighbouring councils.
The final report is available by contacting us at [email protected]
Scenario 1: Gas
Under this scenario, participating councils would transfer waste to the central facility in Hepburn Shire where it would be aggregated and pre-treated. The digester would be located at the central plant; biogas generated by the AD facility would go through a cleaning process to ensure it meets the requisite quality standards for direct injection into the natural gas distribution network. Each council would have a separate turbine located onsite at a council building and gas would be extracted from the distribution network in order to generate power from the turbine.
Scenario 2: Slurry
Under this scenario, participating councils would transfer waste to the central facility in Hepburn Shire where it would be aggregated and pre-treated. The output from the central plant would be a slurry which is delivered to council buildings via the road network. Each council would have an AD facility and turbine located onsite at a council building with electricity generated by the turbine used directly by the building. Digestate from the AD process would be returned to the central plant via the road network for post-treatment.
Scenario 3: Electricity
Under this scenario, participating councils would transfer waste to the central facility in Hepburn Shire where it would be aggregated and pre-treated. The AD facility and turbine would be located at the central plant and electricity generated at the plant would be feed in to the electricity distribution network. Councils would then use an equivalent share of their generation from the central plant. No onsite plant equipment would exist at council buildings.
For the participating councils, all scenarios are feasible for Macedon Ranges, Ballarat and Hepburn Shire Council. For Pyrenees Shire Council only Scenario 3 is feasible, and for Central Goldfields and Mount Alexander Shire Council no scenarios are feasible due to the low levels of waste available. This work will now inform next steps for the CVGA to advance waste to energy in our region.
The final report is available by contacting us at [email protected]
Scenario 1: Gas
Under this scenario, participating councils would transfer waste to the central facility in Hepburn Shire where it would be aggregated and pre-treated. The digester would be located at the central plant; biogas generated by the AD facility would go through a cleaning process to ensure it meets the requisite quality standards for direct injection into the natural gas distribution network. Each council would have a separate turbine located onsite at a council building and gas would be extracted from the distribution network in order to generate power from the turbine.
Scenario 2: Slurry
Under this scenario, participating councils would transfer waste to the central facility in Hepburn Shire where it would be aggregated and pre-treated. The output from the central plant would be a slurry which is delivered to council buildings via the road network. Each council would have an AD facility and turbine located onsite at a council building with electricity generated by the turbine used directly by the building. Digestate from the AD process would be returned to the central plant via the road network for post-treatment.
Scenario 3: Electricity
Under this scenario, participating councils would transfer waste to the central facility in Hepburn Shire where it would be aggregated and pre-treated. The AD facility and turbine would be located at the central plant and electricity generated at the plant would be feed in to the electricity distribution network. Councils would then use an equivalent share of their generation from the central plant. No onsite plant equipment would exist at council buildings.
For the participating councils, all scenarios are feasible for Macedon Ranges, Ballarat and Hepburn Shire Council. For Pyrenees Shire Council only Scenario 3 is feasible, and for Central Goldfields and Mount Alexander Shire Council no scenarios are feasible due to the low levels of waste available. This work will now inform next steps for the CVGA to advance waste to energy in our region.