​Florida Town ​Uses Beer, ​Byproducts to ​Fuel Wastewater ​Plant ​

Published on by in Technology

​Florida Town ​Uses Beer, ​Byproducts to ​Fuel Wastewater ​Plant ​

 St. Cloud's NEW (Nutrients, Energy and Water) Recovery Facility has an interesting approach when it comes to energy production.

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Representative Image Source: Pixabay, labeled for reuse

Whenever you dump something down the drain, it goes to the city of St. Cloud's NEW (Nutrients, Energy and Water) Recovery Facility, where nutrients are recovered, waste is treated, and clean water is sent back into the environment.

But large-scale beverage producers — who have high-sugar waste filled with potential energy — get special treatment when it comes to the byproducts created at their facilities.

"We can treat it in a different manner that uses a lot less electricity, and that we can use to make a fuel," said Pat Shea, public services director for the city.

Beverage producers have been bringing what Shea calls high-strength byproducts to the plant for two years. For example, Shea said, a beverage company or brewery will brew a batch of product, and once it's done, the company will clean its production lines and flush everything out to prepare equipment for the next batch.

That first rinse will still have product in it, Shea said, and producers can either put it down the drain, or collect it and bring it to the NEW Recovery Facility.

Read the full article on SC Times

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