One of Australia’s largest water utilities, YVW provides water and sanitation services to Melbourne’s northern and eastern suburbs.

EV charging

In its goals to use 100 per cent renewable energy and reach net zero, driven by its Climate Resilience Plan, YVW is expanding its electric vehicle chargers by more than 50 per cent at its head office in Mitcham.

Powered by solar, three Tritium 75kW DC Chargers with dual charging capability have been installed to fast charge six cars at the same time, increasing the current 14 chargers to 22, with a capacity to accommodate up to 46 in the future.

YVW received funding via the Business Recovery Energy Efficiency Fund (BREEF) to support installation of the fast chargers.

YVW Managing Director Pat McCafferty said: “Our goal is to transition to a zero emissions fleet and we’re offsetting our emissions from vehicles in the meantime.

“We’re transitioning our vehicle fleet to electric, purchasing only electric vehicles where fit for purpose from 2026. With more zero emission vehicles on our roads everyone will benefit from healthier neighbourhoods and cleaner air.”

The new chargers will use renewable power generated from solar panels on the purpose-built solar carpark, saving time and money for staff and the organisation.

“For every 100 kilometres, we’re currently using approximately $18 of fuel. When we switch to electric, it will cost approximately $3 for the same distance. So, it’s not only better for the environment, but there are significant cost savings as well,” Mr McCafferty said.

Food waste-to-energy

YVW also secured $1 million funding through the Victorian Government’s Waste to Energy – Bioenergy Fund to expand its food waste-to-energy facility in Lilydale.

This will help fund a second generator, which uses a technology called anaerobic digestion to feed food waste into a ‘digester’ tank that breaks waste down and generates biogas.

Once fully operational in 2024/2025, the facility will generate more than 12,900 megawatt hours of electricity per year – around 35 per cent of YVW’s energy needs or enough to power the equivalent of more than 2,200 Victorian households.

The facility will divert about 55,000 tonnes of commercial and industrial food waste from landfill every year.

“Investing in food waste to energy production is central to our commitment to support Victoria’s transition to a circular economy, reduce waste and minimise our carbon footprint,” Mr McCafferty said.

“Having a second generator will increase the power output of our Lilydale facility, nearly doubling our export to the grid. Another benefit is that we can continue to operate uninterrupted if one generator has any issues.”

YVW was also granted an additional $175,000 to enhance the electricity generation infrastructure at its bioenergy facility in Wollert, one of Australia’s largest food waste-to-energy facilities.

The funding for the Lilydale facility will help YVW achieve its target of generating 100 per cent of its own energy needs through renewable energy in 2025.

“This funding will play a vital role in expanding our capabilities, allowing us to divert even more food waste from landfill and generate clean energy to power homes and facilities,” Mr McCafferty said.

“It’s a win-win solution that supports sustainable practices and helps us make a significant impact on waste reduction.”

Installation of the EV chargers and food waste-to-energy initiatives will help YVW achieve regulatory greenhouse gas reduction requirements in the Victorian Government’s Statement of Obligations, which guides all 18 water corporations to net zero by 2035.