Clean Power Win

Clean Power Win I leaned at the Biocycle East Coast Conference that wastewater treatment plants use about 3% of US electricity. With the addition of anaerobic digesters and other organic sources such as food processing wastes, 6% of US electricity can be generated. Food waste is the largest part of the US solid waste stream still going to landfills where it generates methane, a greenhouse gas much more potent than carbon dioxide. This goes beyond efficiency to production of renewable energy. To put it in perspective, the share of US electricity from renewables was 13% in 2013 and is projected by the US Energy Information Agency to be 18% in 2040. The lions share of this increased renewable capacity projected for 2040 is from solar and wind so an increase in electric power generation from anaerobic digestion is an additional win for renewables.

            Biocycle conferences bring together experts in working with the microbial universe. Microbes preferring oxygen are largely represented by the US Composting Council while microbes preferring no oxygen are represented by the American Biogas Council. The American Biogas Council had a presentation by a representative from the US Department of Agriculture who, together with the US Energy Agency and the US Environmental Protection Agency, have devised a Biogas Roadmap and are encouraging production of biogas.  

            The Blue Plains wastewater treatment plant serving the greater Washington, DC area is the largest user of electricity in that area. A speaker from DC Water which runs the Blue Plains plant (dcwater.com) explained that anaerobic digesters had been added at Blue Plains and as food processing waste was also added, the plane would go from being the bidggest user of electricity in the DC area to being an electricity producer. Rates for those served by Blue Plains were expected to fall as a result.

            Quasar Energy Group discussed public private partnerships with wastewater treatment plants. Quasar (quasareg.com) successfully adds anaerobic digesters which produce electricity as well as compressed natural gas for use by vehicles, replacing diesel.

            Biocycle’s West Coast Conference included presentations on integrated anaerobic digestion and composting. First the anaerobic digestion process produces energy and then a composting process produces soil amendment. No microbial discrimination!

Full participation from our planetary friends in the microbial universe.

            The Second Annual United Nations Sustainable Energy for All Forum in June 2015 added an example at the Bronx waste water treatment plant near the Hunts Point Produce Market. New York City is renovating this wastewater treatment plant and adding anaerobic digesters which will also take waste from the Hunt’s Point Produce Market. Electricity generated will more than meet the needs of the treatment plant for electric power. A second example from New York City was efficiencies at high rise buildings having more than 50,000 square feet. These buildings were adopting energy efficiencies on their own. Smaller buildings do not have the necessary expertise so technical assistance is being offered to encourage adoption of energy efficiencies.

Clean Power Win