Capstone supplying CHP system for Romanian wasterwater treatment plant

Capstone Green Energy said its Romanian distrubutor Servelect, will provide a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system to a Romanian wastewater treatment plant operator.

The new utility grid-connected system will be built utilizing one Capstone Green Energy C600S microturbine and one C200S microturbine. All the energy produced on-site will be used within the wastewater treatment plant. The C600S unit will be fueled by the biogas resulting from anaerobic fermentation of sludge, while the C200S unit will use high-pressure natural gas from the local Romanian Distribution Network Operator (DNO).

This project at Compania Aquaserv’s facility in Mures County, Romania, was pursued as it became clear that the site’s existing internal combustion engine cogeneration plant was reaching the end of its lifecycle. At the same time, rising electricity prices combined with investment opportunities for wastewater treatment cogeneration projects made it an ideal time for Compania Aquaserv S.A. to look for a more efficient and advanced cogeneration technology. The project is funded by the European Economic Area (EEA) and Norwegian grants. The EEA and Norwegian grants represent the contribution of Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway to reduce economic and social disparities in the European Economic Area and to strengthen bilateral relations with the 15 beneficiary states in Eastern and Southern Europe and the Baltic States.

The system will include two compressors that will increase the pressure of both the biogas and natural gas. To provide maximum efficiency, the two Capstone Green Energy CHP systems will be directed to a recovery boiler by a manifold; in addition, the hot water produced will be used in the sludge drying process. Together with the compressors and the recovery boiler, the two CHP units will be integrated within the site’s existing Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. This allows for both local and remote monitoring, as well as manual and automatic operating modes. Altogether, the system is designed to provide 800 kWe electric and 1500 kWth thermal power. It is expected to be commissioned in March 2022.

“Wastewater treatment plants are among the best candidates for this kind of highly efficient green energy project. Not only is biogas a free, renewable fuel source for producing heat and electricity, it also eliminates the waste gas, which could otherwise be a global warming pollutant,” said Darren Jamison, CEO of Capstone Green Energy. “The kind of energy efficiency we can achieve at sites like Aquaserv S.A. offers the potential for greater operational cost savings, and with the kind of incentives that are currently available in many regions, the return on investment can be substantial.”