The facility will recycle fats, oils and grease (FOG), liquefied food waste and other higher strength digestible organic substrate through anaerobic digestion process to yield additional biogas fuel to supplement current unused digestion capacity.
The project will initially supply such waste cooking oil and other food wastes to the EWA’s water pollution control facility.
EWA, which currently produces nearly 80% of its 2.2MW annual electricity demand from biogas produced via the wastewater treatment process, is likely to become a ‘net-zero’ energy consumer with the new facility.
The integrated wastewater treatment and biogas power generation is part of the EWA’s PureEnergy program, under which methane gases released from wastewater treatment process will be recaptured for power and heat production.
The authority is likely to begin construction of the facility during the first quarter of 2014 and complete it in around six months.
EWA board of directors chair Jim Poltl said the latest investment reflects the authority’s mission to provide sustainable and fiscally responsible services while maximizing the use of alternative and renewable resources.
"Infrastructure investments that result in outstanding environmental outcomes and enhance our energy self-sufficiency help EWA save money on operating costs and keep rates low for all our customers here in north San Diego county," added Poltl.
Image: Biogas engine generator sets. Photo: Courtesy of Encina Wastewater Authority.
