South Australia’s largest wastewater treatment facility has broken a renewable energy record on its way to record levels of self-sufficiency.
By increasing the production of biogas – a by-product of wastewater treatment – SA Water’s Bolivar Wastewater Treatment Plant generated 3099 megawatt hours of renewable energy in July, marking the highest monthly levels recorded, well above the yearly average of 2800 megawatt hours.
The record underpinned the site reaching 112 per cent energy sufficiency for the month, following 106 and 98 per cent in the two months prior. Excess energy produced in May and July were exported to the electricity grid, further reducing operating expenses.
The Bolivar site’s 14-metre-high anaerobic digesters capture and heat solid waste from sewage treatment to naturally break down the organic matter. The resulting gases are then used to power the site’s large engines.
Chris Young, SA Water’s General Manager of Operations, said the energy produced saved thousands of dollars in electricity expenses.
“Being one of South Australia’s largest electricity users, it’s important we can continue to harness ways of marking our operations as efficient and sustainable as possible,” he said.
“With recent volatility in Australia’s electricity spot market underpinning a significant increase in costs for both households and organisations like ours, we looked at ways to maximise the production and use of biogas to power our Bolivar site, particularly in times when prices spiked.”
He said average levels of energy self-sufficiency at the Bolivar site had increased from 85 to 95 per cent over the past year.
“When you consider our Bolivar plant treats the majority of wastewater for metropolitan Adelaide, being able to achieve self-sufficiency is a significant achievement,” he said.
“The flow-on benefits of renewable energy sources like biogas also reduce our carbon footprint, and this will only grow further with thousands of solar photovoltaic panels and on-site battery storage set to be energised at Bolivar over the coming months.”
The Bolivar Wastewater Treatment Plant is jointly operated by SA Water and SUEZ, and treats an estimated 150 million litres of sewage every day.
For more information, visit: www.sawater.com.au
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