What is the project?
Prospect Hill International Pty Ltd is planning to construct a state-of-the-art energy from waste plant in Lara, Victoria. The proposed plant would divert 400,000 tonnes of waste from landfill every year, providing many benefits such as contributing to Victoria’s energy security and providing a net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
When is Prospect Hill planning to construct the energy from waste plant?
The Project will progress through detailed design and further Project development steps, which includes a 12-month waste audit in line with the requirements of the EPA. Construction is expected to commence in 2025/2026.
What is energy from waste?
Energy from waste is a safe and reliable way of diverting waste from landfill and converting it into electricity. Used in other parts of the world like Europe, North America and Japan for decades, energy from waste plants are increasingly being considered across the globe to reduce waste going to landfills and generate more sustainable energy.
What kind of waste will be used?
The project is currently in the planning and design phase, and a range of waste sources are being considered. The plant will use Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) from households and MSW-like waste from sources like shopping centres, supermarkets, offices and schools to generate electricity. MSW consists of everyday discarded items that would usually be destined for landfill.
How much energy will the plant produce?
The plant will convert waste that can’t be recovered by recycling, reuse or waste avoidance into approximately 35 megawatts of electricity. That’s enough electricity to power up to 50,000 homes.
How many jobs will the project create?
This project will contribute to the community by creating hundreds of jobs during the construction of the plant and around 30 ongoing roles during its operation.
What are the benefits of this project?
There are numerous benefits of the project. The energy from waste plant will contribute to energy security in Victoria by providing a new source of sustainable baseload power to the electricity grid.
The project will also:
What are the health and safety impacts to the community of an energy from waste plant?
Modern energy from waste plants are specifically designed with best practice operating systems to protect health and safety. Energy from waste is a proven and reliable technology which is widely used around the world, with more than 500 facilities operating in Europe, including in cities like London, Copenhagen and Paris.
Community health and safety are key considerations of the regulatory approvals processes, and the operation of the plant will meet all Victorian Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and European Union Best Practice requirements around health, safety, noise, odour and air quality.
Will the energy from waste plant be smelly?
Energy from waste facilities operate under slightly negative pressure which means that air and odour is drawn into the facility rather than being allowed to escape. Experience from all over the world is that odours outside of the plant buildings are not an issue.
Will the energy from waste plant be noisy?
Modern energy from waste plants include sophisticated noise reduction and sound proofing design elements to minimise noise. The appropriate management of noise levels is also a key component of regulatory approvals and will be assessed as part of these processes.
Do energy from waste facilities undermine efforts to improve recycling?
Energy from waste complements waste management processes such as recycling, reuse or avoiding the creation of waste in the first place, which are all preferable to sending waste to landfill. The waste used to generate energy for Prospect Hill’s proposed plant will comprise of residual waste only – waste destined for landfill that otherwise would not be recycled.
Will the operation of the plant lead to more trucks on local roads?
The proposed energy from waste plant site has been selected due to its good transport links with Geelong and Melbourne. The site is within an Industrial 2 Zone which is set up to accommodate truck traffic. It is not anticipated that traffic associated with the construction and operation of this project will travel on residential roads.
How can I have a say about the project?
Prospect Hill International invites the community and other stakeholders to give feedback via the ‘Contact’ section of our project webpage (www.prospecthill.com.au), calling 1300 060 008 or emailing info@prospecthill.com.au.