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Wastewater System
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> Water & Wastewater | |
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El Estero Fuel Cell Project
Generating Electricity from Wastewater Treatment
Fuel cells are now being used to generate electricity at the El Estero Wastewater Treatment Plant (El Estero). Fuel cells convert methane, a byproduct of wastewater treatment into electricity. The fuel cells produce enough electricity to meet about half of El Estero’s needs.
Additional energy is provided in the form of heat produced when the fuel cell converts methane into electricity. This heat is used in other treatment plant processes.
How a fuel cell works
Fuel cells produce electricity without combustion using an electrochemical principle. The process is similar to that of a battery, except that a fuel cell does not need to be recharged. Fuel and air are supplied separately to alternating layers of electrodes to produce DC (direct current) electricity. An inverter converts DC to AS (alternating current).
Fuel Cell Animation
Increase Your H2 IQ
How a fuel cell works (NOVA Science Now)
How a fuel cell works (Smithsonian National Museum of American History)
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Environmental Benefits
Clean Energy Production
Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that combine hydrogen with oxygen to produce electricity, heat and water. Hydrogen is not burned but is electrochemically combined with oxygen from air.
The absence of combustion in the fuel cell limits harmful nitrous, sulfur oxide, and carbon dioxide emissions. Since electricity is generated directly and involves no intermediate mechanical or thermal processes, fuel cells are more efficient than any other conventional technologies.
Reduced use of Fossil Fuels
Fuel cell production of electricity reduces the demand for conventional energy created by combusting fossil fuels.
“Fossil fuels – coal, oil and natural gas -- currently provide more than 85% of all the energy consumed in the United States, nearly two-thirds of our electricity, and virtually all of our transportation fuels. Moreover, it is likely that the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels to power an expanding economy will actually increase over at least the next two decades even with aggressive development and deployment of new renewable and nuclear technologies.“ http://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/fuel_cells.html
Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions
By using the methane, rather than simply flaring the waste gas, it is estimated that annual emission of air pollutants will be reduced by up to 35,999 pounds of nitrogen oxide pollutants and 500 tons of carbon dioxide annually. This is equivalent to the emissions of one bus running 24 hours a day for 1 2/3 years.
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Economic Benefits
Reduced Energy Costs
The fuel cell project was selected because it was the cleanest product; would generate the most energy; and was the most economically advantageous. The fuel cell co-generation plant can replace approximately 50% of the electrical consumption currently purchased form the local electric utility. The fixed price of the contract is anticipated to bring increased savings as electricity rates rise.
Public Private Partnership
The City determined to pursue an approach to realize a co-generation project that would not require capital investment of public funds, nor the hiring of specialized staff for operation and maintenance of the co-generation equipment. City staff wrote a request for proposals to provide a turnkey co-generation facility and to sell generated electricity to the City.
FuelCell Energy
Alliance Power, Inc.
Funding
California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) grant funding were used for installation of facility.
Climate Change Rebate Projects
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Awards & Media
Helen Putnam Award of Excellence
Flex Your Power: Energy Efficiency Leaders
Santa Barbara Hosts Clean Renewable Fuel Cell Power
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