This is an important project as we look to meeting our future power needs in this new era of higher priced electricity. The county has responded by taking aggressive steps to reduce outside energy use, including the use of three diesel-burning power generators, Sims said. A Direct Fuel Cell power plant could play a key part in reducing the county s dependency on outside power sources. The process produces a methane-rich gas that can be used as fuel in the power plant. The process occurs inside a large volume tank, which contains microbacteria.
Solids are a food source for the bacteria and the byproduct of digestion is methane gas.
A wastewater plant treating 30 million gallons a day generates sufficient digester gas to fuel a one-megawatt fuel cell power plant using carbonate technology. King County s wastewater plants in Renton and West Point treat three to four times that amount. Fuel cell technology may also provide the benefit of cleaner air. Executive Sims said the technology will help the county do its part to reduce greenhouse gas and air pollution associated with electricity generation. This project will demonstrate the versatility of fuel use with the Direct Fuel Cell, as well as its capability to produce more electricity than other technologies using the same quantity of fuel.