Portland facility will convert commercial food waste to renewable energy

When the Columbia Biogas waste-to-energy facility opens in Northeast Portland, Oregon, it will convert food waste from the metro area into multiple green products including renewable energy, water and naturally derived fertilizer, the company says.

Columbia Biogas will receive food waste from commercial and industrial sources such as grocery stores, restaurants, food distributors as well as food and beverage manufacturers. A process of anaerobic digestion in sealed tanks will degrade organic matter to produce methane-rich biogas, an alternative to natural gas.

The W2E facility is expected to initially generate 3 megawatts of electrical power which is equivalent to the electrical needs of as many as 3,000 average homes. Ultimately, Columbia Biogas says it intends to increase its electrical production to 5 MW.

Columbia Biogas recently entered into a Small Generator Interconnection Agreement with PacifiCorp Transmission for interconnection to PacifiCorp?s Killingsworth substation in Northeast Portland. Under the agreement, Columbia Biogas will deliver electrical power to the PacifiCorp system.? PacifiCorp serves 1.7 million retail electric customers in six western states and operates as Pacific Power in Oregon, Washington and California.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Metro approved permits for the facility in 2010.

Source: http://blog.seattlepi.com/energy/2012/08/23/portland-facility-will-convert-commercial-food-waste-to-renewable-energy/

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