The Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF) is the place where human solid waste is processed. A number of eco-friendly practices have been put in place, and more are being considered, to generate energy to operate the WPCF.
1. Methane Gas. A by-product of the processing of solid waste is methane gas. Staff is able to capture, store and use methane to run internal combustion engines (ICE) to generate a portion of the electricity needed to run the WPCF facility. Waste heat from this power generation is also captured and used to heat the digesters. By this “co-generation” effort, the City produces about 30% of all the energy needs at the WPCF. With the WPCF being the highest single energy demand center of all the City facilities, this effort results in substantial cost savings.
2. Future Use of Fuel Cells. Staff is also exploring another "green" alternative that would replace the existing practice of using digester gas to run internal combustion engines (ICE). Instead, purified digester gas would be used to run Fuel Cell (FC) technology. An important advantage of FC Technology is that it produces virtually zero emissions. There is now a way to make it feasible to purify digester gas to run fuel cells.
A decision on replacing the existing ICE with more efficient ICE or with zero emission FC's will be made before 2011.
3. Future Photovoltaic Solar System for Electricity. Staff is looking at installing a photovoltaic solar system to produce a minimum of 500KW of electricity. This "green" energy system can produce a large portion of the WPCF remaining energy needs, now provided by PG&E. A feasibility study is part of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). When installed, this green energy system can produce a substantial portion of the remaining energy needs at the plant which is currently provided by electricity purchases from PG&E.
Staff is also exploring the feasibility of other eco-friendly alternatives, such as wind energy production.
For more information, please call Public Works Department at 510-583-4700
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