Resource Renew Powering Wastewater Facility with 100% Biogas Utilization

Resource Renew, the brand of the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District, can now utilise 100% of the renewable biogas fuel produced on site at their facility in Duluth, Minnesota. Resource Renew is responsible for processing and treating the wastewater influx from a 530 square mile region in the northeast corner of the state. With their new on-site combined heat and power (CHP) installation from Clarke Energy, roughly 60% of site electricity and 100% of process heat is now generated from a renewable fuel source at a remarkable 87% fuel efficiency.

Clarke Energy was pleased to work alongside Donohue & Associates to engineer and install a new combined heat and power system at the wastewater treatment facility that treats roughly 40 million gallons of wastewater every day.

When wastewater flows into the facility from a 75-mile network of sewer systems, it is first treated to remove large solids, sand, and gravel. Wastewater is further treated through a biological process using microbes and pure oxygen to break down organic matter. The solids from the aerobic process are then sent to four large anaerobic digesters. As the organic material decomposes in the anaerobic digestion process, it creates renewable biogas. The biogas is collected and further treated to remove impurities such as hydrogen sulfide, siloxanes, and moisture. After a brief drying process, the biogas is rich in methane and ready to be used as fuel to drive the INNIO Jenbacher reciprocating engines.

Clarke Energy was chosen as the equipment and solution provider and will continue to support the facility as a maintenance partner for the power generating equipment. This project was awarded to Clarke Energy due to their highest ranked overall value in the biogas to power sector. With over 1.7GW of power delivered from biogas globally, Clarke Energy is an industry leader in driving sustainable and resilient energy systems.