Projects
PWD Biogas Cogeneration Facility
Project Overview
In 2012, the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) and the company Ameresco, Inc. announced an agreement to develop and maintain a cogeneration facility at PWD's Northeast Water Pollution Control Plant. This project will use digesters to generate 5.6 MW of thermal energy and electricity from biogas, which occurs as a byproduct of the plant's wastewater treatment. Half of the biogas that is currently generated from sewage at this plant is already used to supply heat to the plant; this project will enable the other half to be used as additional renewable energy for the plant. Over the course of this 16-year contract with Ameresco, PWD expects to save $12 million in energy costs.
Contact Information
Philadelphia Water Department Fax: +1 (215) 685-6043 Email: questions@phillywatersheds.org Mail: Office of Watersheds Philadelphia Water Department 1101 Market Street, 4th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 Website: http://www.phillywatersheds.org
Environmental, Social, and Economic Benefits
This project is intended to reduce energy consumption and avoid biogas flaring, which may result in reduced annual emissions of carbon dioxide. This project may also reduce the need for public expenditure on PWD's energy needs.
| Estimated Cost: $47.5 million |
| Estimated Benefits: $12 million over 16 years |
| Sources of finance for this project included American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. |
