The Leeds RERF, which operates on behalf of Leeds City Council, was opened in November 2016 and manages all of the city’s black bag waste.
The facility is designed to recover recyclable materials from the waste and turn the residual material into low-carbon heat and hot water, and electricity for the local grid.
It will initially supply heat for 1,983 council homes and enough electricity for 22,000 homes.
Richard Kirkman, chief technology and innovation officer at Veolia, said: “District heating is a key strategy that will drive heat decarbonisation and help reduce CO2 emissions across the UK.
“With this innovative facility Leeds is a shining example of a circular economy hub that transforms unrecyclable black bin waste into an important energy source that benefits local communities.
“By connecting it to the district heating network it further boosts sustainability, and cuts carbon emissions for the city.”
Globally, Veolia operates almost 7,000km of heat networks including schemes that serve up to half a million people.
The Leeds initiative is the 600th district heating scheme the waste company supports worldwide.