Albany's Sludge-Powered Sewage Plant Is First Of Its Kind In North America

By Sara Jerome,
@sarmje

A new power-generating sewage plant in Albany is the first of its kind on the continent, according to the Times Union. 

"The system — a maze of metallic pipes that feed a large turbine at the center of the room — marks a first not only for the county or state, but for all of North America,” said  County Sewer District Executive Director Richard Lyons in the report.

The plant in New York's capital started generating power from sludge earlier this year. The combined heat and power system was officially unveiled to the public last week, YNN reported. 

Priced at $8.6 million, the power generator at the North Wastewater "is part of a decade-long $100 million push by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to help large institutions, colleges, hospitals and municipalities achieve some independence from the power grid," Capital reported. 

The utility has framed the plan as a money-saver. "Previously the waste was just burned for disposal. Officials say the process will eventually save the county an estimated $400,000 a year," ABC News 10 reported. 

The plant is providing a considerable amount of energy. "The facility will produce between 400,000 and 800,000 kilowatts of electricity a year, based on the amount of sludge being processed," The Record reported. 

Extracting power from sludge is not a new idea, but there are still relatively few utilities trying it out. The UK's largest water utility, Thames Water, is among them.

Two years ago, Thames Water began “producing the flakes by drying sludge...in a purpose-built machine at sewage works in Slough, Berkshire. In a not-so-green move, the company then takes the flakes by lorry to Crossness sewage works in Bexley, south-east London, where they are burnt off to generate electricity," The Guardian reported. 

To read about a Pennsylvania wastewater treatment facility that contains "a composting facility to reuse the most troublesome of wastewater byproducts — sludge," check out this article on Water Online.

Image credit: Albany County Sewer District

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