LMS Energy has been creating energy through a gas generator at the tip since 2013, and approached council last year about adding a solar panel system.

It is now live and feeding into both the grid and a 50 kilowatt electric vehicle charger that has been installed at the entrance to the waste management centre.

Related: The numbers have been crunched on renewable energy generation in the Hume region

Councillor Henk van de Ven toured the site on Wednesday and called the launch a "red letter day" not just for Albury, but the country.

"This is the first renewable energy site with solar panels that has been built on an active landfill, and it's a fantastic use of the land," he said.

"We have a capped landfill that is generating methane gas ... we have a gas-powered generator that produces around 700 kilowatt hours of electricity, and we now also have 4000 solar panels generating electricity as long as the sun is shining.

"It's a fantastic day for Albury, and for LMS and Joule Energy who have been partners in this."

The site the panels are sitting on was one of the first places used for the tip, in the 1970s.

Matthew Falzon of LMS Energy said due to the gases underneath the surface, the solar panel system had been designed so that it did not penetrate the ground.

"We actually overcame some pretty significant technical challenges here," he said.

"With standard solar farms you would pile into the ground, and this system is not using any of that type of technology - it is very unique.

"LMS is on 45 landfill sites and we're currently reviewing those sites ... to hopefully roll it out there."

Mr Falzon said the Albury Renewable Energy Hub's solar and gas-to-energy generation equated to 11,200 megawatts, or enough to power "about 2000 houses".

"We're looking into battery storage; the base load landfill gas generation is working 24/7, and the solar is intermittent when the sun is out," he said.

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Cr van de Ven confirmed the electric vehicle charger, which is also unique in that it is powered purely by the renewable energy generated at the tip, was the first charger supplied with council's involvement.

"There are others (chargers), but this is one Albury City is providing for people to use free of charge through LMS," he said.

"There are people using it at the moment; they can have a cup of coffee and read the paper while their car is charging.

"Over time, I think we will (add more chargers) ... obviously we have a lot of car park assets around town and we need to have some discussions with potential business partners."

Cr van de Ven spoke about the facility with councillors from the Grampians Shire, and Albury High School students.

"This is part of our legacy to you guys and we're proud to have done this," he said to the teenagers.

Year 11 student Ben Pedler, 16, who is part of Albury High's environmental committee, welcomed the launch of the renewable hub.

"We've come out here a couple times now, working with the council to plant trees," he said.

"It would be great to see this extend on new landfill sites.

"We're really happy about it; it's great to see these things happening in our area."

The power generation at the Albury Waste Management Centre prevents nearly 54,000 tonnes of carbon being emitted, and when compared to a coal-fired power station with the same output, saves nearly 25 million litres of water annually.