For years, the closure of Australia’s first food waste-to-energy plant left a critical gap in the nation’s organic waste infrastructure. The reopening of EarthPower in 2025 represents more than just a refurbishment; it’s a statement about the viability of anaerobic digestion and a renewed commitment to circular economy principles.
During the refurbishment process, Veolia Australia and New Zealand leveraged expertise from its local and international technical teams to implement state-of-the-art technological upgrades that make the anaerobic digestion process stable, safe, and efficient.
Carmen Loecherer, Veolia’s General Manager Resource Recovery in New South Wales, says the company is delighted with the upgrade of the landmark facility in Camellia, which creates significantly more capacity for processing food waste in Sydney.
“We’re already servicing a number of customers in both the commercial and municipal sectors, and it’s great to be open for business again,” she says.
The upgraded “plate to paddock” facility, with a total capacity of 62,500 tonnes (65 per cent dedicated to food waste), will produce 1500 tonnes of soil improver and generate green electricity, potentially powering 4000 local homes.
One of the most significant upgrades is a new ‘buffer tank’ system that helps manage the flow of waste coming in. This acts as a staging area, controlling the flow of feedstock so it doesn’t overload the system.
The facility can now gradually introduce different organic waste streams while maintaining the critical bacterial balance.
“For optimum performance, we carefully manage our bacteria – keeping them at around 38 to 40 degrees, maintaining the right pH levels and feeding them the right mix of materials to keep them healthy and productive,” Carmen says.
“We’re taking it slow with introducing new waste types. Right now, we’re sticking to food waste that we know our bacteria can handle well.”
Carmen emphasises the precision required: “You need to keep an eye on everything – the acid levels, the gas we’re producing, the methane content. We want about 55 to 65 per cent methane for good energy production.
“It’s all about balance – too much waste and you get too much acid, too little and you’re not being efficient.”
EarthPower’s specialised capability to handle liquid waste sludge also addresses a critical market gap.
“Liquid waste is trickier than solid food waste,” Carmen notes. “We have to screen it first, remove any grit, and then carefully mix it with other materials. The key is getting the right carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and making sure everything mixes properly in the tanks.”
The methane produced during digestion is converted into green energy through combined heat and power units.
Carmen says the facility is producing about 350 to 400 cubic metres of biogas from each tonne of waste, about 60 per cent of that is methane.
“Our generators convert that to electricity at around 35 to 40 per cent efficiency, which means we can power ourselves and still have energy left over for the grid.”
Veolia views EarthPower as a proof of concept for strategic replication.
“The technology is quite sophisticated – we have automated systems, continuous monitoring of temperature and gas composition, and all sorts of controls,” Carmen says.
She says the technical achievement of the rebuild represents more than operational success.
“When you understand how the bacteria work – what they need, how they break down waste, how they produce methane – you can really optimise the whole process. We’re basically creating the perfect environment for these microorganisms to turn waste into something valuable.
“It’s like being a farmer, but instead of crops, we’re growing bacteria that eat waste and give us energy.”
For more information, visit: www.veolia.com.au
