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Start > Performance > Goal 4 - Resource use > Going carbon neutral

Going carbon neutral

During 2006-07, Sydney Water moved to a strategy to become carbon neutral by 2020. The first milestone will be to reduce emissions by 60 per cent by 2012.

Sydney Water is one of the largest energy users in New South Wales. As water and wastewater is very heavy to move around, it requires a large number of pumps and other equipment.

Sydney Water will become carbon neutral by:

• producing up to 20 per cent of power needs through renewable cogeneration and mini-hydro turbines
• using energy more efficiently
• using carbon credits earned for water saving programs.

Sydney Water and energy partner, Worley Parsons, work together to maximise energy production from cogeneration.

Renewable cogeneration

In February 2007, Sydney Water announced it would construct new biogas cogeneration facilities at five sewage treatment plants. It will also install four hydro-electricity generation facilities.

These nine projects will produce more than 50 gigawatt hours of electricity a year. This is enough to supply more than 20 per cent of Sydney Water's energy needs by early 2009.

Three of the nine projects will receive $3.67 million from the NSW Government's Energy Savings Fund. The $200 million fund encourages organisations to save energy and reduce peak electricity demand.

Essential operations, such as water pumping, and sewage treatment and disposal, require significant energy. Sydney Water is establishing small-scale renewable energy generators to help meet its power needs.

Cogeneration harnesses biogas, a waste product of the wastewater treatment process. The biogas is converted into electricity through combustion technology. Engines are used much the same way as in cars. Cogeneration was pioneered and proven at the Malabar and Cronulla sewage treatment plants. Sydney Water is commissioning a plant at North Head in 2007-08 and installing new plants at its Bondi, Glenfield, Liverpool, Warriewood and Wollongong plants.

Electricity generation projects
	Biogas generation plants	Hydro-electricity generation plants	Percentage of generation (approx.)
Existing projects	Malabar Sewage Treatment Plant		4%
	Cronulla Sewage Treatment Plant		(16,000 MWh)
Recently approved projects	Bondi Sewage Treatment Plant	Prospect	14%
	Wollongong Sewage Treatment Plant	Sugarloaf	(53,000 MWh)
	Liverpool Sewage Treatment Plant	North Head Sewage Treatment Plant*
	Glenfield Sewage Treatment Plant	Woronora*
	Warriewood Sewage Treatment Plant*
Total	Generation from 2009		20%almost 80,000 MWh

* Funding assistance the NSW Government Energy Savings Fund

Hydro-electricity generators use the flow of water and wastewater to generate electricity via mini-turbine engines along high-flow pipes. One hydro-electricity generator will capture energy from wastewater flowing down a drop shaft at the North Head Sewage Treatment Plant. The North Head facility will be an Australian first. Sydney Water will also install hydro-electricity generators at the Woronora Water Filtration Plant, Sugarloaf Valve Station and on the Warragamba to Prospect Reservoir pipeline.

Overseeing the cogeneration operations and maintenance at the Malabar Sewage Treatment Plant

Using energy efficiently

Construction of Sydney Water's new head office in Parramatta commenced during 2006-07. It will be one of Australia's leading environmentally sustainable office blocks. The use of drinking water will be reduced by 75 per cent compared to a typical office building. Greenhouse gas emissions will be cut by 30 per cent.

The Multiplex-owned building will have a chilled beam cooling system instead of more conventional air conditioning. Cool recycled water runs through the chilled beams, providing fresh air directly through ceiling diffusers. As well as improving air quality for staff, chilled beams benefit the environment by absorbing heat from lights and equipment. Recycled water treated on-site will be used as the cooling water circulates through the chilled beams.

Artist's impression of Sydney Water's new head office in Smith Street, Parramatta