Australia turns Sydney food waste into power for 4,000 homes

Every day, food that has reached the end of its useful life leaves kitchens, shops, factories and distribution centres across Sydney. Much of it could end up as waste with little further use. At EarthPower in Camellia, that material takes a different route. The facility uses anaerobic digestion to break down organic food waste and capture the biogas produced along the way. That gas is then used to generate electricity, while the remaining material is processed into a soil improver. According to Waste Management Review 2025, EarthPower's upgraded ‘plate to paddock’ facility has a total capacity of 62,500 tonnes, of which 65% is dedicated to food waste expected to yield roughly 1,500 tonnes of soil improver annually while generating enough electricity to power around 4,000 homes.How Australia turns food waste into a resource at EarthPowerAustralia produces a large amount of municipal waste on a per-person basis, and food makes up a substantial share of it. Food waste is also classed as putrescible waste, meaning it can break down relatively quickly when sent to landfill.EarthPower was established in Sydney’s Camellia suburb as a dedicated alternative for organic waste. Rather than tr...