EnerTech Environmental has announced the ceremonial commissioning of its first biosolids-to-renewable-energy facility. Designed to process more than 270,000 wet tons of biosolids per year, the Rialto SlurryCarb Facility will annually generate more than 60,000 tons of renewable fuel, called E-Fuel, for the Southern California area. E-Fuel produced by the facility is already being used by Southern California cement kilns to offset their coal use and will reduce annual local greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80,000 tons.
“Today we commission the Rialto SlurryCarb Facility as being the first renewable energy facility of its kind, but today is simply the first step toward a sustainable future that we are realizing with our partners and customers,” said Kevin Bolin, EnerTech CEO. “Together we are moving Southern California toward energy independence.”
“We are excited to partner with EnerTech,” said Grace Vargas, mayor of the City of Rialto. “This facility puts Rialto on the map at the center of green technology and we are happy to have their renewable energy facility in our community.”
The facility is a showcase for EnerTech’s patented SlurryCarb process. The process uses heat and pressure to recreate the steps performed by Mother Nature and transform biosolids into a CO2-neutral coal-like renewable fuel. Biosolids (processed sewage sludge) are a common and easily renewable waste that all communities produce and must manage. In the U.S. alone, more than 7 million tons of biosolids are produced each year.
The Rialto SlurryCarb Facility is providing a long-term biosolids recycling plan for five Southern California municipalities. Customers include Orange County Sanitation District, The County Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County and the cities of Rialto, Riverside and San Bernardino. In addition to providing an environmentally sustainable biosolids management solution for California, the facility created more than 20 green jobs for the surrounding Rialto area.
“This facility provides us with a local, sustainable, and environmentally friendly option for biosolids management,” said Mike Moore, manager of environmental compliance and regulatory affairs for the Orange County Sanitation District. “Generating energy from biosolids is a smart solution for both biosolids management and energy generation. People around the country are taking notice.”
“This facility provides us with the real potential for a new biosolids management option that is clean, environmentally friendly and energy efficient,” said Steve Maguin, chief engineer and general manager of the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County.
“Biosolids-to-energy is a management solution that is a win-win for communities and the
environment,” said Stacey Aldstadt, general manager for the San Bernardino Municipal Water Department. “We congratulate EnerTech on the commissioning of the first SlurryCarb facility.”
