Anaergia selected to produce renewable power from wastewater sludge in California

In California, Anaergia Inc. has been selected as the Energy Recovery Contractor for a new system that will produce renewable power from wastewater sludge at the East County Advanced Water Purification (East County AWP) facility now under construction in Santee, California. Anaergia anticipates the Energy Recovery project will also eventually digest food waste along with the wastewater sludge. Anaergia is expected to design and build the waste-to-renewable energy facility and provide long-term operations and maintenance after commissioning.

The East County AWP facility is part of an Advanced Water Purification Program that is a partnership among Padre Dam Municipal Water District, the City of El Cajon, the County of San Diego, and Helix Water District. The Program is expected to produce up to 11.5 million gallons per day of new local drinking water, enough to supply about 50,000 households for a year.

Anaergia’s project at the East County AWP is expected to produce renewable power from biogas created by anaerobically digesting wastewater solids and potentially locally sourced organic waste. Anaergia plans to integrate a waste-to-renewable power system that includes a biogas conditioning system, combined heat and power (CHP) generation, as well as an optional receiving station with storage tanks for organic waste deliveries. These technologies will enable the East County AWP facility to make up to 3.1 megawatts of renewable electricity and heat, with potential for future expansion to 4.6 megawatts. The organic waste reception would provide a local outlet for recycling organic waste that is required to be diverted from landfills under California law.