Chevron, FuelCell Energy turn restaurant grease into power

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, USA, May 8, 2007. Chevron Energy Solutions has begun work on a fuel cell system at a California wastewater treatment facility that will transform wastewater sludge and kitchen grease from local restaurants into clean, renewable power.

The system in the City of Rialto includes a 900 kW fuel cell power plant, manufactured by Connecticut-based FuelCell Energy, that will generate electricity using methane that is produced naturally on-site by the organic materials contained in wastewater.

The system will provide a beneficial use for the thousands of gallons of fats, oils and grease (FOG) that are washed daily from restaurant grills and pans. The watery liquid is collected by grease hauling companies and often disposed of in landfills, where it releases methane – a potent greenhouse gas – as it decomposes, sometimes directly into the atmosphere.

At the Rialto facility, a station for receiving this “restaurant waste” will provide an effective disposal alternative, reducing the amount of FOG sent to landfill. It will also provide a revenue stream to the city through “tipping fees” paid by grease haulers for each disposal, while decreasing the city’s energy costs by about $800 000 a year. Meanwhile, the fuel cell plant and other energy-efficient improvements will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 5.5 million tonnes a year.

Chevron Energy Solutions will proceed with engineering and construction of the project over the next few months. Project highlights include installation of the station; a new automation system and controls; a high-efficiency boiler; and three 300 kW Direct FuelCell units. Repairs to the current digester equipment, where methane is produced naturally from organic matter, will also be carried out. In addition, the residual waste heat from the fuel cells will be put to work to warm the digesters to human body temperature, to stimulate further methane production.

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