On 26 September 2014, the Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority (VVWRA) in California commissioned a biogas capture and power facility to upgrade its 14.5 MGD wastewater treatment plant to operate independent of the power grid by 2015. It represents the first wastewater plant in the US to meet 100% of energy demand from on-site power generation. Anaergia, a Canadian energy group, will own and operate the renewable energy system based on a 20-year power purchase agreement with VVWRA. The US$2.6 million system is funded by a California Energy Commission grant and $600,000 invested by Anaergia.
In September 2014, Anaergia announced two additional anaerobic digestion and biogas production projects: a 300 ton/day organic waste processing facility for the Metropolitan Water District of Greater Chicago, and a biomethane upgrading facility at a WWTP in Pima County, Arizona with partner Grannus Biogas LLC.
Bluefield Takeaways
- Wastewater treatment plants find budget gains in on-site energy production
- Size of anaerobic digestion and niche biogas capture markets move forward
- Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and incentives bolster wastewater energy capture
