Sustainable Energy Alternatives for the Wastewater Industry

Hartwell Engineering is making green strides in the wastewater industry. A new feasibility study performed by Hartwell evaluated the use of sustainable energy alternatives in Anne Arundel County’s Sewage Pumping Stations.

The study looked at replacing the current diesel-powered emergency generators with a newer, greener Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) that benefits the environment and surrounding communities without sacrificing reliability. The backup systems are important for when main power to the pumping stations fails, such as during inclement weather.

The study focused on a backup system using batteries similar to Powerwall and Powerpack batteries designed by Tesla Corporation. Hartwell evaluated different types of batteries from various manufactures and investigated different ways to recharge the batteries, including solar, wind and utility power. The study also assessed the impact of using these technologies in various environments, such as near water. Part of the study included an evaluation of the current standard diesel-powered generator against the life of the new equipment, as well as the capital cost and value of the different systems years down the road.

The feasibility study identified potential sites that would be good candidates for the system. Once the study is complete and the site approved by the Department of Public Works, a pilot test will be conducted on a small scale to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new system.

This sustainable method of powering the emergency systems is new to the wastewater industry and could potentially replace the existing older system. Commercial and private markets currently make use of these sustainable technologies, and as batteries improve in efficiency and capacity, more applications are being found for their use.  Hartwell is pleased to provide this low-impact option to the County and looks forward to implementing environmentally friendly systems in future projects.