Extract of April 8th 2015 CALWMC, my presentation
Enjoy all those cost numbers getting smaller and smaller, while doing more for the environment!
This presentation was all about the residuals: how to manage the solids. In the Seaterra plan the water is not reclaimed and must be sent out to the ocean via a long outfall. It also pumps the sludge 18km up to Hartland for digestion. The capital costs of this are $300M. The operating cost are offset by a small amount of revenue. The process converts about 50% to energy and the remainder will be sent up island to be used "beneficially". This is code for spread on land. In other words, pollute the forest which is a watershed.
The RITE plan advocates we consider tertiary water treatment which reclaims the water for use or to be discharged directly into the shore. We also want to consider gasification that fully destroys the toxins in the sludge while producing nearly twice the energy output of digestion with a small amount of ask left over (useful in building products).
We contacted vendors and experts. One expert said he is working on a similar project that will cost under $15M US. Gasification energy outputs are so high they make money from the start. Reducing the capital costs by $315M; saving the huge interest payments on that debt; converting operating costs into revenue saves our region $2 Billion dollars over the lifetime of the project.
Replication of these results is quite simple.
- Perform a search of the internet for sewage sludge and gasification.
- Contact the companies who are involved.
- Ask them to suggest independent experts.
- Ask them to tell you about similar projects.
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