Saint-Hyacinthe currently has three digesters built using the LIPP style of construction. |
In the next year, after Phase II, surplus biogas will be upgraded to biomethane and injected into the natural gas distribution grid operated by Gaz Métro. Gaz Métro anticipates selling 4-5 million m³ of biomethane each year (460-570 m³/hour) for the city's buildings, natural gas vehicles and the gas network.
Currently, the Saint-Hyacinth digesters produce 150 m³/hour of biogas which is equivalent to 3 MBtu/hour of energy and 350 kWh electricity. Adding organic waste with the additional capacity, Bio-Methatech expects the WWTP to produce 1,200 m³/hour of biogas, 26 MBtu/hour of energy and 3,000 kWh electricity 8.5 times more energy using co-substrates then with only the municipal sludge.
The City of Saint-Hyacinthe is in an ideal location to install the biomethane system as the WWTP is located near a Gaz Métro pipeline.
"This project with the City of St. Hyacinthe is the future. Traditionally, wastewater facilities use more energy than any other part of the city, but each one should produce energy—biogas—from the organic waste in our sewers, restaurants and yards. Then they can use biogas to produce electricity or upgrade it to biomethane, a renewable substitute for natural gas," said Patrick Serfass, Executive Director of the American Biogas Council.
"Today, the US has over 2,200 operational anaerobic digesters. The majority, 1,500, are located at wastewater treatment plants, but only a scant 250 currently use the biogas they generate. This means 1,250 biogas-producing WWTPs could be producing biomethane or electricity, and then there are another 2,000 WWTPs that are completely undeveloped. This is a massive economic opportunity."
Montreal-based Bio-Méthatech is a joint venture involving the family-owned Dominion & Grimm Inc. - suppliers of equipment to maple syrup producers - and waste management company RCI. The company has the license to represent and manufacture LIPP KomBio digesters, a German company that has over 500 biogas installations worldwide. In Canada and the Northeastern U.S five new LIPP digesters will be built by Bio-Methatech and starting in the fall of 2012.
SUMA America Inc. is an exclusive distributor for SUMA GmbH; a mixing manufacturer specializing in agitation equipment for fermentation-gas (biomethane) plants, tanks or lagoons. SUMA America has over a dozen installations throughout Canada and the USA.
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