Improving Energy Efficiency
Improving our energy efficiency is another way we are working to cut our carbon footprint and protect the environment.
We have developed a comprehensive Energy Efficiency Management Strategy to ensure our operations and infrastructure run in the most efficient way possible.
By operating more efficiently we will reduce our demand for electricity, which will help us achieve our target of 100% renewable energy use by 2018.
Since energy use is one of our biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions, reducing our energy use through efficiency improvements will also help us achieve our target of zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2018.
We have started carrying out energy audits across Melbourne Water’s sites, identifying opportunities where we can improve energy efficiency. Our aim is to assess more than 90% of Melbourne Water’s energy use by the end of 2010.
We have already made many energy efficiency improvements in different areas of our business, including upgrading an effluent reuse pump station at the Western Treatment Plant which resulted in a 6% electricity saving, and replacing a pump at the Yering Gorge Pump Station (at Winneke Water Treatment Plant) which resulted in a 10% electricity saving.
We also participate in the Energy Efficiency Opportunities program.