Along with clean water, Western Lake Superior Sanitary District’s (WLSSD) wastewater treatment facility can produce clean, renewable energy. Biogas, a methane-rich byproduct of the treatment process, can be used to create electricity and heat.
WLSSD’s Combined Heat and Power energy project will allow WLSSD to use the biogas currently produced at its regional wastewater plant to generate more than a third of the electricity needed to power the treatment plant.
WLSSD also plans to reclaim additional wastes to increase biogas production. Investing $24.9 million over 5 years, WLSSD can cut electricity purchases in half or more—moving WLSSD toward its goal of energy neutrality.