Eco Factor: Waste-to-energy plant generates renewable energy from wastewater sludge.
Houston-based MaxWest Environmental Systems is developing a one-of-a-kind wastewater treatment plant in Sanford which when developed will be able to convert wastewater sludge into renewable energy. Once developed, the plant will be able to process 100,000 tons of combined horse manure, stall and wood waste into 10.5 megawatts of electricity annually.
The plant works by first removing moisture from treated wastewater sludge in a dryer powered by natural gas. The dried solids are then hauled offsite for disposal and the treated sludge is used as thermal energy, which then replaces the natural gas to power the sludge dryer. The company expects the plant to save more than $8 million over the life of the project’s 20-year lifespan in natural gas expenses alone, which combined with the amount of electricity generated, does seem decent.
Via: GreenBiz
