Colac’s renewable organics network is turning food waste into biogas, hot water and power

The regional town of Colac, in south-west Victoria, is only home to about 13,000 people.

Its main street has a park on one side and is lined with bakeries, banks and take-away shops on the other.

Until Colac was hit by a large coronavirus cluster earlier this year, it didn’t often make the national news.

But this unassuming country town, which serves as hub for farms dotting the green Otway pastures, is about to become home to a new energy concept.

The town’s largest employers — food manufacturers Bulla Dairy Foods and the Australian Lamb Company (ALC) — together with the regional water corporation, Barwon Water, are collaborating to build an Australian-first facility.

Barwon Water infrastructure and technology general manager, Shaun…