HTP Technology Heralds Step-Change In Wastewater-To-Energy Applications

• Genifuel uses temperature, pressure and water to convert sewage into oil and gas
• Process ‘solves the problem’ of solids disposal
• Major utility pilot projects revealed at BlueTech Forum​

Trials of a technology that converts wastewater biomass into crude oil and natural gas will feature in BlueTech Forum’s technology showcase, which takes place in Vancouver, Canada on 6-7 June 2018. US company Genifuel already has pilot projects underway with public water and wastewater utilities in North America.

Forging a step-change in circular economy thinking for the wastewater process, Genifuel’s hydrothermal processing (HTP) technology uses temperature, pressure and water to convert organic matter, including wastewater biomass, into crude oil and natural gas. James Oyler, president of Genifuel explains that the company’s hydrothermal processing (HTP) technology mimics the geological creation of fossil fuels, but in a tiny fraction of the timeframe.

“HTP is a hot, wet process that can convert wastewater solids into oil and gas,” Oyler explains. “Fossil fuels are created when you have geological time and you have organic matter settling down into swamps and shallow lakes.

Oil and gas conversion
“After millions of years it builds up temperature and pressure and of course it’s wet and that starts the conversion into fossil petroleum and natural gas. In HTP the reactions and the products are similar, but we do it in an hour instead of millions of years.”

The biocrude oil and methane gas produced by the Genifuel HTP process can be used in the same way as their fossil counterparts. The oil can be converted to finished fuels in a refinery and the methane gas, once it has been prepared, can be mixed freely with natural gas. This provides additional diversity of products from the resource recovery process, with the primary target market being the advanced liquid biofuel market.

The use of readily available wastewater biomass that is generated 24/7/365, irrespective of the weather, economic conditions, geopolitical situations, or commodity prices means HTP crude oil can be produced without sensitivity to typical external considerations. This can be a real boost to the advanced liquid biofuel industry.

Another benefit to a wastewater utility is that the process produces very little residual material compared to current technologies: “That’s a very important capability,” says Oyler, “because wastewater solids management is increasingly expensive and this technology solves that problem. At the same time it produces a valuable by-product that reduces the need for fossil fuel and therefore contributes no new greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.”

The pilot projects follow the positive outcome of an extensive testing programme sponsored by the Water Research Foundation (WRF) in the US, which also links with the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, a US Department of Energy (DoE) government research laboratory.

Paul O’Callaghan, BlueTech Research chief executive said, “Genifuel is breaking new ground in demonstrating how energy can be generated from sewage sludge while cleanly disposing of the wastewater solids. The HTP technology fits perfectly with our theme for 2018 – managing water risk in the circular economy - and I look forward to hearing about the latest developments at the Technology Showcase at BlueTech Forum in June.”

James Oyler, president of Genifuel will present at BlueTech Forum on 7^th June at the Vancouver Convention Centre, Canada.

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BlueTech Research maps and analyses the water technology innovation landscape. The company is focused on what is changing and how new approaches, new technologies and new needs are reshaping the water technology market. For more information, visit www.bluetechforum.com