IWN project nominated for 2019 Victorian AWA Water Award

Zero Emissions Water (ZEW), a project under the Intelligent Water Networks (IWN) Energy and Carbon program, has been nominated for the Program Innovation Award in the 2019 Victorian AWA Water Awards.

ZEW came to life through the IWN program, which is a partnership between VicWater, 16 Victorian water corporations and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

IWN investigates new technologies and innovations to meet common challenges in a more efficient manner.

An investigation of large-scale renewable energy opportunities sought to answer the question ‘how could the water sector work together to reduce energy costs and emissions?’ And so ZEW was born.

As a result, the IWN project led to a group of 13 participating water corporations purchasing solar power together from the Kiamal Solar Farm in north-west Victoria under a new umbrella organisation, ZEW.

Purchasing as one large organisation means the participating corporations are able to procure energy at a cheaper rate as opposed to going it alone. The expected savings from this deal will help water corporations offset rising energy costs, which in turn will help to keep customer bills down.

Simon Prunster, ZEW’s Project Lead, explained: “Zero Emissions Water makes it easy for our 13 members to purchase low cost wholesale renewable energy by aggregating demand and streamlining administration.”

The ZEW partnership demonstrates that Victorian water corporations are leading the way to reduce operational costs and emissions. The innovative structure of this deal is the first of its kind in the Australian water industry and is a major step forward towards the sector achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

Talking about the project, IWN Energy and Carbon Program Lead Steve Reddington said: “The ZEW Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is helping to decarbonise grid electricity at its source and builds on the on-site renewable energy investments Victorian water corporations are making behind-the-meter.”

IWN are delighted to be nominated for the Program Innovation Award and it shows the value the organisation are bringing to the Victorian water industry and our members.

Ben Spedding, IWN’s Acting Program Director, concluded: “ZEW highlights how great achievements can be made from collaborating. It also highlights how the Victorian water industry is leading the way in reducing emissions and driving the pathway to net zero”

The water corporations involved in the project are as follows:

·       Barwon Water

·       Central Highlands Water

·       City West Water

·       Coliban Water

·       East Gippsland Water

·       Lower Murray Water

·       South East Water

·       South Gippsland Water

·       Southern Rural Water

·       Wannon Water

·       Western Water

·       Westerport Water

·       Yarra Valley Water 

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