A new renewable energy hub that combines solar power and bio-gas will soon power more than 4400 homes in southern Adelaide.

The hub includes the state’s first solar farm built on landfill that is sealed to prevent harmful emissions leaking into the atmosphere.

The 1780 solar panels at the Southern Region Waste Resource Authority’s (SRWRA) Seaford Heights site have the capacity to generate up to 600 kilowatts of electricity.

When combined with the bio-gas power station this will generate 25,000 megawatts of electricity per year; enough to power more than 4400 homes each day in the site’s surrounding suburbs.

The power is fed into the SA Power Networks’ grid, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and cutting greenhouse gas emissions by up to an estimated 135,000 tonnes a year.

This means the site’s landfill is now emission neutral. The two systems represent a combined investment by LMS Energy of more than $12 million. The announcement comes as the bio-gas station marks its first year of operation.

SRWRA is a regional subsidiary established by Marion, Onkaparinga, and Holdfast Bay councils, which operates waste management services on their behalf.

According to the state government’s Renewable Energy Atlas, more than 50 per cent of South Australia’s energy mix is created through renewable sources. Bio-gas plants convert methane from decomposing organic waste, including food scraps, into electricity.

City of Onkaparinga Mayor Erin Thompson says the new hub will deliver significant benefits to the local environment and economy.

“This innovative project demonstrates how the three councils are responding to the impacts of climate change, reducing emissions and building community resilience.

“I’m excited to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and—through the under-construction SRWRA material recovery facility alongside the landfill site—also reduce our reliance on recycling companies,” Mayor Thompson says.

CEO of SRWRA Chris Adams says: “This is an important step in transforming the site into a resource recovery and sustainability centre that will benefit the community for generations.”