Yarra Valley Water Aggregated Energy Efficiency Project (Revoked)

The Yarra Valley Water Aggregated Energy Efficiency Project (Revoked) was an industrial energy efficiency initiative located across the Yarra Valley Water operational network in Greater Melbourne, Victoria. Specifically, the project coordinates point to two major facilities: the Aurora Sewage Treatment Plant in Epping (approximately 20km north of the Melbourne CBD) and the Brushy Creek Treatment Plant in Chirnside Park (approximately 30km east of the CBD). Registered in June 2018, the project was designed to aggregate energy savings from multiple sites but was voluntarily revoked in December 2022.

The project operated under the Industrial Electricity and Fuel Efficiency methodology. This method generates carbon credits by calculating the emissions avoided through energy savings achieved by retrofitting or replacing equipment. For Yarra Valley Water, this involved a comprehensive suite of upgrades including the installation of variable speed drives (VSDs) on water pumps, improvements to air compression systems, and the optimization of HVAC and building management systems at their facilities.

The environmental context varies across the aggregated sites. The Aurora plant in the northern suburbs sits on the volcanic Victorian Volcanic Plain, characterized by heavy basaltic clay soils and lower rainfall (approx. 600mm annually). In contrast, the Brushy Creek site in the east lies in a region of sedimentary loams with higher rainfall (approx. 850mm annually). The land use surrounding these facilities is a mix of peri-urban residential development and remnant grazing land, typical of Melbourne's growth corridors.

An interesting aspect of this project is its revocation in late 2022, which aligns with Yarra Valley Water's broader corporate strategy. The utility has committed to achieving Net Zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2025, largely by transitioning to 100% renewable electricity and investing in "high integrity" offset projects like environmental plantings. It is likely the proponent voluntarily revoked this efficiency project (Section 30 of the CFI Rule) to streamline their accounting or because the emissions reductions were subsumed into their baseline "business-as-usual" decarbonization targets. Specific upgrades linked to this initiative include the installation of ABB ultra-low harmonic drives at pump stations and extensive energy optimization works at their Mitcham headquarters.