This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Politics & Government

From Waste to Warmth

Board of Selectmen approve $78,000 study on how to use waste methane gas.

Fairfield's Department of Public Works doesn't want to toss away a chance to figure out the best way to reuse waste.

The Board of Selectmen approved the DPW's request to draw $78,000 from the Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) to study energy efficiency improvement. The Town’s water treatment plant was last renovated in 2002. Since then, there have been many changes to such systems.

For one, waste methane gas can now be used to generate low cost electricity and heat.

Find out what's happening in Fairfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

This study will measure ways to improve the quality and increase the quantity of the methane gas and evaluate the advantages of blending the methane gas with natural purchased gas.

“This will further reduce our carbon footprint, increase the use of a renewable energy source and decrease operating costs,” according to a memo from Director of Public Works Richard White.

Find out what's happening in Fairfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Because residents already pay sewer use fees they won’t need to pay an additional amount, interim First Selectman Michael Tetreau said.

In addition, a $50,000 grant from the “Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) – Site Specific Feasibility Study Grant Program” will offset the study’s cost. So the net cost of the study would be $28,000.

“If we do nothing, we lose the opportunity to receive a $50,000 grant towards a study that is anticipated to yield significant savings at the treatment plant,” White said in the memo.

The study’s cost was based on a proposal submitted by Fuss & O’Neill, Consulting Engineers approved by the CCEF. 

The proposal breakdown is as follows:

a. Assess Existing Systems Associated with sludge Handling and Digestion (flow, piping, electrical instrumentation, process diagrams etc.") Cost: $20,150.

b. Assess current Digestion Performance and Digester Gas Yield (mass balance, chemical characteristics, existing quality and quantity of methane gas, etc.) Cost: $15,500.

c. Comparison of Mesphilic vs. Thermophilic Operation of digesters (run estimate for sludge reduction and gas production for both models and advantages and disadvantages.) Cost: $6,750.

d. Evaluate Digester Making Systems. Investigate options to modify or replace the existing mixing system with other technologies (benefits, capitol cost, O&R costs, constructability). Cost $7,400.

e. Evaluate Digester Gas Conditioning Blending/Reuse Options. (evaluate systems to clean/pre-treat the gas for use as equipment to produce electricity and useable heat, capital and O&R costs, life cycle cost, option of blending in natural gas.) Cost: $13,000.

f. Evaluate Heat Recovery Options. Determine best heat recovery option to provide heat to digesters and existing buildings, Capital and O&R costs and life cycle cost. Cost: $10,600.

g. Feasibility Study Report. Produce a comprehensive report summarizing the findings of tasks (a) to (g). Cost: $4,600.

A life cycle cost analysis will determine whether there are additional long-range costs.

Tetreau said he hopes this is the start of increased sustainability, but added that it’s important to go slowly.

“We’re taking baby steps,” Tetreau said. “To quote a friend, you don’t test the depth of water with both feet. Fairfield is doing a tremendous amount to go green by improving sustainability. Sustainability is one thing we can do to make Fairfield a better place.”

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?