Currents

An Energy Newsletter for Local Governments

Sonoma County Wastewater Plan Will Produce Big Energy Savings

A pilot wastewater recycling plan emerging in a Sonoma County business park near the Charles M. Schulz Airport north of Santa Rosa would use highly treated water pumped from a nearby plant to heat and cool buildings and, eventually, to irrigate landscaping and vineyards.Sonoma officials estimate savings of 90% on natural gas and 50% on electricity for heating and cooling.

The project, estimated to cost $50 million to $70 million at the outset and $200 million when completed, includes sinking new pipes to distribute the water through the 450-acre Airport Business Center by 2010. A refrigeration unit will transfer heat to or from wastewater. A compressor will then convert that heat energy into warm or cold air that can be pushed through about 3-million-sq.-ft. of office space at the business park, replacing the traditional heating and air conditioning systems. The water can also be used to irrigate landscaping, or — with a secondary set of pipes — flush toilets.

Sonoma officials will soon meet with lawmakers in Washington about allocating money for this project and establishing a fund to pay for similar projects across the U.S. Sonoma County has a goal of using renewable energy sources to power the county's entire network of treatment plants and pumps by 2015.

This article came from the April 16, 2008 Flex Your Power newsletter.

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